King and Queen
by HarperGrey
Summary: Regina, grieving and heartbroken over Daniel, is married off to the King against her will. Full of rage and sorrow, she navigates her new life as Queen with a King that had no interest in marrying her either. An Evil Charming twist on Regina's past.
1. Chapter 1

_Okay, so I know I've been sorely neglecting my other stories, but I've had the inspiration after rewatching some of the earlier seasons w/Regina back in the Enchanted Forest and her time married to Leopold. I wanted to rewrite my own spin on this. In my version, it is David who is King instead of Leopold, Emma is his daughter and Snow is his deceased wife…Regina is married off to him against her will…Let me know if you want to read more._

* * *

"You did what?" David choked on his sip of wine, plopping it down on the large oak dining table in the great hall with an unceremonious clunk.

"I found you a bride," Leopold repeated in a calm and outrageously casual manner for something like marriage, "She'll do quite nicely. Pretty, too."

David glanced back and forth between Leopold and Emma who sat silently, pushing food around her plate. She was nearing fourteen years old now and he found it harder and harder to understand what was going on behind her troubled expression. "Does someone want to fill me in on what the hell is going on?"

"Emma was in somewhat of an incident during her riding lesson yesterday," Snow's father began to explain, causing David's brows to furrow together and glance quickly to his daughter to once her over.

"Incident? Were you hurt? How come no one informed me of this?" David raised his voice, his lips pressing into a thin line as Emma only stared down at her plate.

"She's fine, thanks to a wonderful girl I was told saved her from the runaway horse," Leopold gave a shrug as he picked up the wine decanter to refill his glass. He had retired from the throne when Snow and David had married, not being in good health and finding it better suited that the kingdom have a Queen and a King. Much to David's chagrin, Leopold never really gave up control, often going behind his back to make decisions that weren't his to make anymore. Like finding him a new wife, apparently.

"And because she saved my daughter, you think the next logical step is to marry her? I haven't even seen her, for gods sake!"

"David, it's time the kingdom saw you moving on. They're starting to lose faith in you as a leader. Mourning my daughter was understandable, god knows we all did it, but its been five years. I know you'll always love her, but the people need to see that you're okay. They want to know that their future is in the hands of a capable King and Queen, not a reclusive, single King," Leopold leaned back in his chair, looking at David frankly who sat stunned at how blunt his father in law could be at times.

"Grandpa, we don't even know her," Emma piped in, frowning as she glanced up at him, "Besides, she's my age! Do you know how humiliating that would be?"

"Nonsense, her mother said she just turned 18. She's plenty old enough, practically past her prime at this point," The old man raised a bushy eyebrow, "Besides, you need a good female role model. You're approaching a difficult age."

"18?!" David finally processed what he said, "Leopold, I'm 33. She's just a girl!" His head spun at how determined his father in law seemed to marry him off to a child bride. He wanted no part of this, no part of any marriage that wasn't with his late wife. Her death had broken him and even the thought of another woman felt like betrayal still to this day.

"I've already asked for her hand in marriage to you," Leopold nodded once in a finalizing manner, "The wedding is to be a week from now, in fact," His gaze traveled to the large clock in the corner as it struck noon, "It should be being announced on the town square right about now by the royal council."

"This is insane!" David bellowed with rage, hitting his fist on the table as he stood abruptly, making both Emma and Leopold startle, "Who do you think you are backing me into a corner like this?! Forcing me into marriage with some brat who will most likely cling to my leg like the child that she is. Have you no respect for your daughter's memory?!"

"Indeed, I do. I think Snow would have wanted you to have companionship," The old man scooted his chair back and rose slowly, "This isn't just for the kingdom that I'm doing this, David," He added frankly before turning to mosey towards the hall that led to his wing of the castle.

"You can't let him bring a stranger into our home, Father," Emma's brows drew downward in the same fashion as David's as she looked up at him, "He's trying to replace Mother!"

David shook his head as he thought it over, not knowing how he was going to get out of it since Leopold had already announced the wedding to the kingdom, "No one is going to replace your mother, Emma."

* * *

Regina held one of her hands with the other in an attempt to stop the from shaking as she stood, letting the seamstress make some last minute adjustments to the dress the morning of the day she'd dreaded for days. She felt hollow inside, as if the fear and heartbreak had devoured her soul and left her nothing but a shell.

Daniel was dead. She watched her own mother rip his heart out right in front of her while she was helpless to do anything about it. Cora had been keeping an especially close eye on her after Leopold's visit to give his thanks for saving his granddaughter and arrange the marriage between Regina and King David.

Her mother was determined to let nothing stand in the way of Regina and the throne, so she had followed her that fateful night after seeing her darting across the castle lawn towards the stables. She hated herself for not being more careful, for putting Daniel in danger that way. She'd been a fool to think they would have gotten away with eloping, when she couldn't even manage to go to the stables without Cora guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders at the knowledge that Daniel was killed because of her; because he loved her.

And now, because of one good deed in saving that stupid girl, she was sold like an object to the King and being forced to leave her home and join a family of strangers. She stared down at the dress on her, the corset suffocating her already. Her breasts were pushed up and on display, per Cora's request for a low neck wedding dress. She felt cheap.

"Darling, you look beautiful," Cora's voice assaulted her ears as her cold hearted mother entered the room with a serene smile on her face, "King David is going to be so pleased with you. And what a gorgeous couple you'll make."

"I wouldn't know," Regina muttered after never having even seen her husband-to-be.

"You're going to have to have a better attitude than that, my girl," Cora's tone inherited a bite to it as she stepped up to her daughter, "You're about to be Queen, you'll have all of the power you want right at your fingertips. But to keep it, you must keep the King happy. Do you know how to keep the King happy, Regina?"

She felt her cheeks burn red with shame and embarrassment as her mother stared through her, as if she were trying to get her to confess to something.

"Did you let that stable boy take your purity, Regina?" Her mother asked, gripping her by the jaw with her hand, making Regina swallow hard at the lump forming in her throat. Anger, shame and hatred swirled inside her stomach, threatening to make her vomit or slap her mother, either one.

"No," Was all Regina could manage to get out, her jaw tensing under her mother's touch. She and Daniel had never went past kissing and heavy petting, which she now sorely regretted. They'd never had a chance with the fear of her mother always lingering at the notion of them getting caught.

"Good, I'd die of shame if I offered my daughter to the King and she was already used," Her let out a breath of relief, letting go of Regina's face, "You do whatever the King asks of you, Daughter. Never refuse him, he is your husband and it is your duty, do you understand?"

Her heart sank in her chest, fear and dread rising up in her chest at the thought of doing something so intimate with a stranger. But what did she have to lose anymore? Her first time meant nothing to her now, for it would never be with the one she loved. She was a prisoner to her mother's aspirations for her, there was no sense in having any dreams of her own.

* * *

David contemplated his new wife as he sat at the head table during the wedding ball. The ceremony had been short as he had requested, but there was still the pesky task of pretending to be happy while the guests danced and ate and drank to the couple. He had to admit he found this girl to be quite striking when she first started down the aisle, even now her profile beside him was rather breathtaking. She looked nervous and pale throughout the ceremony, but he figured she'd never been in front of a crowd before.

He'd expected a silly, overzealous girl who leapt at the opportunity to marry the King and live a lavish lifestyle. The brunette seemed to have an aura of sadness around her though, and while she was perfectly polite, she didn't seem to want this any more than he did. She'd only spoken a handful of words, mostly during their exchanging of vows. Her back was straight as a board as she sat in the seat beside him, acknowledging each guest who spoke to her with a kind word or a forced smile.

David didn't care about manners, though. He'd had enough wine that evening to find himself slouching in his chair in a defiant nature. He felt like he had been forced to betray Snow White with this stranger beside of him. The ball continued, people dancing and clinking drinks in toast, forgetting about the royal couple sitting stiffly without a word to each other. All he wanted to do was get stinking drunk and retire to his room. Alone.

"Mrs. Lucas will be your hand maiden, she can show you to your bed chamber when you're ready to leave the party," David nodded once, reaching for his wine as he began to get up. The brunette looked up at him rather startled as if he'd pulled her from deep thought. She pressed her lips together before nodding once.

"I'm going to bed now," He added, feeling like somewhat of a prick at the anxiety that crept up on her pretty features as she glanced around the ball at the notion of being awkwardly left alone by him. He reminded himself that she didn't have to accept this marriage offer Leopold had extended on his behalf. This girl had blindly agreed to marry him with no idea what she was getting into, just for the status. He shouldn't feel guilty.

* * *

"Your chambers will be down here," The portly lady everyone referred to as Mrs. Lucas led Regina down a dimly lit hallway of the castle, "No girl, not that one," She said with a clipped tone as Regina mistakenly turned for one of the doors, "That's Snow's room. You're never to go in that room or disturb any of her belongings or King David will be very upset."

Great, how was Regina supposed to compete with a ghost to make the King happy? She groaned internally at another twisted layer to her situation. She could tell by Mrs. Lucas' tone that she was very fond of the late Snow White, and viewed Regina as a foreigner. Like everyone did.

"Come along," The older lady chided, leading Regina into a large chamber with dark wood furniture and soft white linens, "We've got to get you ready for His Majesty."

Regina's heart stopped in her throat at what all that comment entailed. Her eyes darted towards the bed where a thin, nearly sheer nightgown laid waiting for her. She wasn't ready, but she was ready to get it over with. The thought made her stomach swirl. Was he going to come in here? Was she to go to him? Would it hurt her? What would he have her do?

"He's in his chamber, you'll go to him. Leopold said the King is not happy about this marriage, but you're to make him change his mind about that," The gray haired lady looked up at her over her glasses and Regina could see a hint of pity in her eyes, despite her seemingly abrupt demeanor.

"Oh-okay," Her voice waivered when she finally found it again, gripping the bed post when her hand maid came around behind her to start undoing the buttons on the back of her wedding dress. When she'd finished getting the dress undone and telling her where David's bedchamber was, she excused herself to allow Regina to fully strip down and change into the nightgown.

It was unlike anything she'd ever worn, much to thin and sheer for her liking. She slipped it over her head and turned to the mirror, her stomach quivering at the fact she could see the rosy tint of her nipples through the fabric. She wondered how he would treat her after being intimidated by him all evening at the ball, downing wine and only speaking a few gruff words to her.

She glanced around until she found a night coat to put on over her dress to navigate the halls in. It was time to go offer herself up to a stranger like a piece of meat. Nothing really mattered to her anymore and she forced herself to go numb. There was nothing to fear because she had nothing to lose. Not after tonight, anyway.

* * *

David was drunk, trying to comprehend what all had just happened in the past 24 hours. He was sprawled in a chair near the window of his bedchamber, drinking wine from the decanter. He'd managed to take off his outer clothing, being in nothing but a loose unbuttoned linen shirt and shorts of the same material.

He'd married another woman. A girl, only five years older than his own daughter. Granted, he and Snow were relatively young, having Emma when they were twenty, but it still didn't make him marrying a teenager feel any more appropriate to him. Fucking Leopold. He was a sleazy old bastard when he wanted to be. David was surprised he hadn't taken the girl for himself. She should be grateful for that, at least.

A creak of his bedroom door caused him to lift his head from the back of the chair he was at, scrunching up his face when the sudden movement caused his head to spin. Regina stood in his doorway silently before closing it behind her, slowly approaching his chair but stopping about five feet from him.

"What are you doing in here?" He raised an eyebrow, shocked that she would be so forward. He'd made it clear he didn't expect her to fuck him tonight when he'd left their reception early, hadn't he? Leopold would demand consummation soon enough, but David would be damned if he'd fall into it this easily.

Her red lips parted but no words came out as she looked at him, instead she reached down and untucked the sash of her night-coat. Delicate shoulders and a slim frame came into view when she pushed it off her shoulders and let it pool at her feet.

His cock twitched when his surprised eyes traveled down the length of her body, seeing hard nipples under the fabric, a taut stomach, the dark vee between her legs that made him drunkenly reconsider fucking her senseless tonight. It's not like a girl who blindly accepts a marriage proposal to a royal was an innocent virgin.

David usually wasn't this brazen, but he'd had enough wine to cloud his better judgment so he stood, approaching her casually as he slid the wine decanter on one of the nightstands nearby. He hadn't been this close to a nearly naked woman since before Snow died. He'd lost his desire when he sank into his depression, and any biological urge he had he'd taken care of himself for the most part. There were a few dalliances; fondling a lady at a masquerade ball when her lord wasn't looking, getting his cock sucked from one of the more forward chamber maids. Mostly reckless moments when he'd over indulged to blind him from the pain of his grief.

"You're quite forward, coming into my chamber unannounced," He raised an eyebrow at her, not being able to help but feel a little resentment towards her for the way she made him want to betray himself. Who was this girl? "I bet you've had plenty of experience at this, have you?" He asked her bitterly, pulling one of the strings loose of her nightgown and exposing the swell of her breasts.

When his eyes traveled from her breasts back to her face he instantly saw her flush of embarrassment, the way her chest moved at her heightened breath, the stiff and worried look in her gaze. Maybe she wasn't as experienced as he expected. It irritated him, making him feel guilty for purposely toying with her.

"Get out," He sighed, turning away from her and walking towards the window, resting his hands on the sill as he looked out over the kingdom. He missed the look of shock and embarrassment that fluttered over her features before he heard his bedroom door open and shut once more. He'd apologize tomorrow.

* * *

"That's where I sit," Regina's blonde haired stepdaughter startled her upon her entrance to the dining hall. She glanced up quickly, only being sat there waiting for Emma and David to arrive for breakfast after Mrs. Lucas had woken her up and helped her get dressed.

"I'm sorry, I'll move," Regina bit her lip, not having the courage or the energy to stand up for herself as she rose from the chair and rounded the King's chair at the head of the table to the other side, taking the one to his right. David still hadn't showed his face this morning and for that she was grateful.

Emma watched her before taking her seat, scooting up and spreading her cloth napkin over her lap, "Are you always this unkempt?"

Regina's brow furrowed and her eyes hardened towards the snotty girl who'd refused to even acknowledge her the day before, "What do you mean?"

"Your eyes are puffy, you look like death warmed over," The girl shrugged and stared at her new step-mother, "You got what you wanted, you're the queen now. The least you can do is take advantage of this lifestyle and keep yourself up."

Regina started to explode, feeling the rage shoot through her at the girls insinuation that she wanted to marry King David for money or for power, or for any other reason than that she was forced to. Before she could get a word out, she heard a grumbled "good morning" and a very rough looking king enter the room.

"Good morning, Father," She heard Emma say, but Regina could not even bring herself to look up and make eye contact with him. She'd made a fool of herself the night before, offering herself up to him on a platter only for him to reject her. The heat crept into her neck and cheeks now just thinking about it.

"I think I'll have my breakfast on the veranda," Emma glanced between the both of them, excusing herself after obviously feeling the awkward tension. It was fine with Regina, one less person to deal with. She couldn't believe she was actually thinking it, but she wished she were back home. With her coward father and her abusive mother. At least it was familiar and she knew what to expect there.

She glanced up to see David shakily pouring himself some water, glancing up at her when he felt her looking his way, "I uh…want to apologize for last night," He bit his lip, glancing towards the doorway to make sure Emma was completely gone, "I don't usually drink that much…I…I certainly don't make it a habit of behaving in that way, either."

"It's okay, I shouldn't have imposed in your personal space," Regina nodded once, used to always taking the blame growing up. It had been easier to accept things being her fault than to argue with Cora. She pushed a piece of strawberry around on her plate, keeping her eyes downcast towards it, but she could still feel him studying her.

"Why...why did you come to my room last night?" He let out a breath, leaning back in his chair to ease the awkward tension, "I left the reception with no expectations of you sharing my bed. You may have wanted this marriage, but I didn't…so let's do each other a favor; you enjoy the lifestyle you wanted and I don't expect anything from you in return, okay?"

His attitude struck a chord in Regina and a shot of anger spiked within her. She'd never been one to speak up or argue before, having been brow beaten by Cora at such a young age. But now she was dead inside, she gained nothing from being submissive and she'd be damned if anyone here thought she actually wanted to be locked up in this stone jail.

"I came to your room last night because Mrs. Lucas told me to," Regina found herself snapping at David, glaring up at his surprised expression. He humiliated her last night and then called this an apology? "I didn't get what I wanted by marrying you, my mother did. She accepted your father-in-law's proposal for me. I didn't want this marriage, either."

David shifted his square jaw as he mulled over her words, raising an eyebrow as if he were surprised at her sudden voice, "Well then…it appears we're in the same situation. What do you think we should do?"

"I'll stay out of your way. I don't want anything from you, other than permission to go riding whenever I want," She shifted her gaze back towards the table, never having bargained with someone like this before. If she was going to survive here, she had to find her backbone.

"You don't need my permission to do anything, Regina," His tone softened a bit, but she refused to look at him. The grief and heartache and frustration she felt made her edgy and more quick tempered than she usually was. She felt herself changing, felt a darkness growing inside of her. No one was going to push her around anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

A couple of months had passed and Regina felt like a prisoner. Although David did not seem to care what she did or when she did it, she felt the watchful and judgement filled eyes of the guards and hired help. Even the people of the Kingdom gossiped about their new Queen, questioning if she was the right choice for their beloved King.

The King that still to this day showed no interest in her. David would go out of his way to avoid her during his time in the castle, though he mostly busied himself being outside or fulfilling his royal duties addressing the council or his army. On the occasion he did look at her, it was as if he didn't even really see her. Like he was looking through her and seeing the memory of his wife on the other side.

Regina chuckled bitterly at the thought as she looked at herself in the mirror. Although she didn't exactly pine for David's attention, she was competing with a dead woman. Instead of wanting Regina who was there and willing, he was choosing to love a memory instead. She couldn't explain it, it wasn't as if she really knew him at all or wanted his affection, but it made her question her self worth.

Cora had told her time and time again how unlovable she was. That she was foolish and naïve and that her only hope in life was to find a man to take care of her. Her mother made it clear that the only thing she had to offer was her beauty; but David did not even want that. She felt worthless.

Not to mention her step-daughter, Emma, who made her life a living hell any moment she had the opportunity. She hated the girl, was filled with rage every time she saw her heart shaped face and blonde waves. Bitterness and resentment consumed Regina at the notion that she should've just let the stupid girl fall to her death from that runaway horse. Her Daniel would still be alive if she hadn't saved her.

Emma viewed her as the young and selfish step-mother who only married her father for wealth and power. Stupid girl. Dark thoughts came to Regina's mind, grasping the handle of her mirror tighter as she stared blankly into it at her own reflection, images of her step-daughter falling from her horse and snapping her delicate little neck making a wicked smile curl her lips. She jumped when the handheld mirror cracked, pulling her from her sinister thoughts and startling her as the power she possessed showed itself.

"Been practicing, Deary?" A shrill but familiar voice caused her to drop her hand mirror on her vanity suddenly to look up in the larger mirror, seeing Rumple's slimy appearance in the reflection behind her. "Wishing you'd pushed Cora into the mirror on your wedding day, after all?"

"What are you doing here?" Regina's eyes narrowed at him, pressing her lips into a thin line. She had accidentally summoned the beast on the week leading up to her wedding to the King, when rummaging through an old book of Cora's, trying to find a way out of the mess that had become her life.

"There is much history between your family and me. History both in the past, and in the future," Rumple gave a flamboyant twist of his arms before picking up a tendril of her hair, toying with it until she frowned and turned around to stand.

"Then can you help me or not?" Regina bit down on her lower lip, hating the fact that she was seeking assistance from someone as morally inept as Rumple. Then again, with the thoughts that had been consuming her lately, was she any better than him?

"You seek power? The death of your enemy…the death of your friends?" He jumped towards her on the last few words with a manic smile on his face.

"No, I don't want to hurt anyone," Regina argued adamantly, though somewhere deep down inside her she wasn't sure if that was true anymore.

"Hard to believe you're from the same family," Her skin crawled when he showed his rotten smile and cupped her face with a gentle touch, "So kind…so gentle…and ooh, so powerful," He shivered before letting go of her face.

"I told you the day of my wedding when you made that mirror appear that I did not want to do magic," She grit out from clenched teeth. The man was relentless and it did not help that the turmoil inside of Regina had her magic bubbling to the surface every time she turned around. It was getting harder and harder to control since being awakened by her pain and grief.

"Ahh, deary, you could do so much if you just let yourself," He studied her appearance, making her cringe inwardly as if he saw right through her into the darkest parts of her soul, "The loss of your love did wonderful things for you," He added, making her blood boil and her face flush with anger, which only caused a satisfied smile to appear on his face.

"See, you've always held much power, but Cora suppressed it with fear. That and the fact that besides her abuse, you've never had anything truly tragic happen to you until the night you watched Mommy Dearest rip your poor Daniel's heart out of his chest and squeeze the life from him," Rumple clenched his fist theatrically in front of Regina's face, causing her to swallow the lump of emotion forming in her throat at the memory, "Now your magic has come to the surface and if you don't learn how to control it…well…everyone will find out that their Queen is a sloppy witch, or maybe they'll even think you insane and lock you up. That is unless you learn how to control your gift…how to use it to your advantage…"

"I don't want to use magic, that's what she does. I don't want to end up like my mother," She frowned stubbornly, meeting him eye to eye in an attempt to make him take her seriously.

"No offense Deary, but I never said you were that powerful," He taunted her with a perk of his eyebrow and she knew he was goading her. She hated that it worked on some level. "I'll let you ponder it until we meet again. Don't hurt anyone," He glanced down at her hands that trembled with her magic and let out a giggle at how she could barely contain it. She opened her mouth to shout at him but he dissolved in thin air, as quickly as he had appeared.

* * *

David crouched against the tree in the forest where he had been sat for an hour or two, waiting for the animals to show themselves. Hunting was a way for him to ease his mind, to get out of the prying eyes of the kingdom and enjoy some solitude. He didn't need to hunt anymore since crossing paths with a young princess who had convinced her father to let her marry a shepherd, but it was tradition and something he enjoyed.

He smiled at the memory of Snow White. He'd stumbled upon his spirited wife on a day such as this one, while hunting in the forest. She had turned somewhat rebellious and often dressed up in commoners clothing and went out to explore the kingdom, her parents completely unaware. He had actually caught his wife to be in a netted trap and instantly enjoyed her spunky and spirited response.

They were shocked when Leopold had accepted him into the family, letting his daughter marry a common shepherd was quite the leap of faith. Looking back, David shouldn't have been surprised. Snow had her father wrapped around her finger. Her sweet nature had everyone wrapped around her finger.

Things had been perfect until five years ago when his wife fell sick with fever. He was helpless to do anything but sit at her bedside and beg her to not leave him and their eight year old daughter alone. She fought the fever hard, tried to stay alive but the mysterious illness had taken her from them on one stormy night.

He'd never been the same since the passing of his Queen, although he tried desperately to be a good father for Emma. Still, he knew he was distant and that they hadn't truly connected in years. Nothing was as it should be, especially with the addition to the new dark haired stranger into their home.

Regina was a mystery to him. At times she seemed weak and vulnerable, with a haunted look in her eyes that told him she'd been through something too. Other times he saw a fire within her, a feisty spirit fit for a ruler. Though, he'd never seen her laugh or appear to be having fun in any way. Then again, the castle wasn't the most joyous of places. He rolled his eyes at the thought of what his late wife would do or say if she saw the way he and Emma had been living. Or lack thereof.

Movement in the forest brought him from his thoughts as he quietly lifted up his bow and arrow. It was one of the finest in the realm, sure to kill anything he aimed it at. Not that David would know, he mostly just came hunting to sit in the peace and quiet. If he did kill anything, he gave the animal to the poorer people in nearby villages.

Suddenly a deer came into view, spooked by something deeper in the woods. It trotted at first when coming up over the bank near the pond not far from him, giving him a moment to bring up his bow and get a good aim on it. Before he let go of the arrow, the deer jolted back into a sprint at the sound of heavy hooves behind it.

Irritation shot through him at the thought of someone imposing on the castle land, interrupting his only time alone. He stood only to see one of his own black stallions soar over the embankment with his new Queen atop it. Her dark hair was unpinned and flying freely, a wide grin on her face as she brought the stallion to an abrupt stop when spotting the pond. Her smile was breathtaking but fleeting.

"You interrupted my hunt," David accused when he stepped out of the woods and into the small clearing, not helping but notice the snug fit of her riding breeches when she dismounted the horse. He didn't know why the sight of her aggravated him so much, but it did.

She looked up at him quickly as he stalked towards her and he realized how short she was compared to him with her boots on instead of heels. He could see her mind spinning before her brows furrowed together, "You interrupted my ride." She matched his tone, challenging him.

"I come out here every Sunday afternoon to hunt, I have been for years," David crossed his arms, surprised by her defiant nature.

"And I've been going on a ride every Sunday afternoon since I was small. Your point?" Regina squared her shoulders back at him as she removed her riding gloves. He had to admit he'd much rather her bite back at him in this way than just take his attitude. He knew he could be a prick sometimes and he always felt worse when someone just swallowed it instead of giving it back to him only because he was King.

"Look, I don't know how you did things at your place," He began in a condescending manner that instantly make her perfectly angled jaw tense in a way that triggered something inside of him. He suddenly felt the urge to keep prodding her in this way, "But I sense that your mother ruled the roost there. But here we're a little bit more old fashioned. I am King and you will respect me. This isn't your childhood home where you were allowed to run a muck and get anything you wanted."

Regina's eyes grew wide and she sputtered a laugh, "You're right, my mother did run the show," She stepped up to him and he noticed her hands shook with anger, her fists balling around her riding gloves, "She controlled me for over 18 years and I am not about to be under anyone else's thumb. Is that understood?!" David's mouth dropped when Regina poked his chest to drive her point home and he felt a jolt of energy.

He looked down to where her finger touched him and rubbed the spot. It hadn't hurt, it was just an unfamiliar feeling. When he glanced back up at her he saw a certain amount of fear haunting her expression, letting him know that she felt it too. It intrigued him, forgetting about his anger for a moment after witnessing the sudden change in her.

"Regina," He said when she took a few steps backwards and then took off over the embankment from which she came. He glanced at the horse who meandered near the pond before taking off after her, "Regina!" He called out again, cursing under his breath at the fact he was chasing the wife he claimed he wanted nothing to do with through the forest.

"Go away!" She called out without turning around, running through the deeper part of the forest, dodging tree limbs faster and easier than David could due to her lesser height. He still gained speed on her however, being able to take larger steps and cover more ground quicker. He panted, hearing her own labored breath just steps ahead of him as he finally managed to lunge forward and grab her arm, bringing her twirling around and smashing into his chest.

"Stop it! I don't want to hurt you!" She looked up at him with wild eyes, struggling against his grip on her upper arms. He shook his head, not understanding what she meant, but he could tell that she believed she could. "I don't want to hurt anyone!"

"Regina, calm down," He said firmly, rubbing his hands up and down her thin upper arms, "You're not going to hurt me and I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk to you."

"Why?" She asked quickly, as if something inside of her was trying to keep itself hidden, "Why now? You've avoided me for months."

"Because I want to know what the hell that was back there. We both felt it," He raised an eyebrow down at her, noticing the scar on her upper lip and wondering for a split second how it got there.

"I don't know what you mean," She started, looking away from him quickly to avoid eye contact. She had a beautiful profile, her nose coming out into a gentle slope, followed by full lips and a smoothly angled jaw line.

"I think you do," He prodded gently, keeping hold of her upper arms but with less force, rubbing his thumb over them through the fabric in soothing circles, "Regina, neither one of us wanted this marriage. We don't expect anything from each other. Whatever is going on with you or whatever that was, you can tell me. And if you're afraid of hurting someone, I need to know why…and I think you understand why I would want to know that."

He watched her visibly struggle with whether or not to admit the truth to him. Something was troubling her terribly, for she was much too young to be so weighed down by life. Her chest heaved as she sucked in a deep breath and slowly looked up at him. The vulnerability was back in her eyes and it struck a chord in him that she was taking a chance in trusting him. She didn't even know anything about him.

"I have magic," She answered him in a small voice full of shame and self loathing, "I didn't know I had it until…recently and now I…I'm not sure how to control it and I'm so unhappy, these dark thoughts are creeping up inside of me and I…I'm afraid I may do something to hurt someone by accident."

David was silent for a long moment as he processed the fact that his new, young wife possessed magic. Something that was both persecuted and celebrated in this realm. Something that could do great things or terrible things, depending on the circumstance. He'd never truly been exposed to it, only hearing horror stories of what it could do and the evil witches who possessed it. But this girl standing in front of him wasn't evil, she wasn't anything that he had imagined.

"You don't like the fact that you contain magic?" He asked her, trying to understand as he considered how quickly she had went from feisty and assertive to fearful and small before his very own eyes. He sensed that her self confidence was all an act and that someone very close to her had taken a toll on her self worth.

"I hate it," She admitted with a tremble to her voice, shifting her eyes to the side, "My mother has magic and she does nothing but torture and hurt people. I don't want to end up like her."

David saw the torment in her eyes at the mention of this Cora person he had yet to meet face to face. He sensed something happened between them that made Regina seem so much older than only eighteen years old. He sensed a maturity and wisdom about her of someone that had been through a great deal, "Your mother, did she hurt you?"

"Only when I disobeyed her," Regina squared her shoulders as if she were attempting to retain some of her pride as she admitted to being abused by her own flesh and blood.

"She'll never be able to hurt you again," He found himself promising before he even realized it, but he meant it. Whatever this woman had done to his bride had shaken her to her core, and he felt a duty to protect her. "If there's one thing you expect from me, it is that I will never let that happen."

She looked confused as she stared up at him with warm brown eyes so full of pain. Eyes that were much older than her age and had seen more than someone of her age should. When he was eighteen his life was at the tavern drinking with his pals and chasing girls, such a contrast to the responsibility that now weighed on her.

"Why would you do that for me?" She asked and the sincerity in her question hit him in the gut. Was it that abstract of an idea for her to believe she had someone to look out for her? Had anyone ever taken care of this woman? Loved her?

"Regardless of how we feel about it, we are husband and wife," He looked down at her seriously, reaching for one of her hands, "I took an oath to protect you and I intend to…Not only that but, just because we didn't enter this marriage with love doesn't mean we can't be friends. And friends help one another."

He heard her take an audible, shaky breath as emotion flooded her. Her eyes welled with tears and he felt the urge to hug her, though he felt it'd be too awkward just yet. "Thank you," He heard her finally say and he sensed that she was emotionally spent.

"Let's go find your horse, shall we?" He nodded once, keeping her small hand in his and feeling the energy from her magic in his palm, though it didn't scare him. She was gentle and just needed guidance. She allowed him to lead her back through the wooded path to the clearing in a comfortable silence as they approached the black stallion she had rode here.

"You picked a good horse for a fast ride," David nodded as he let go of her hand to grab Midnight's reins and hold him in place for Regina to mount him.

"Yes, his spirit reminded me of my Rocinante's," She replied as she ran a hand over the stallion's neck with a yearning expression.

"Rocinante? Where is she now?" He asked, watching Regina run her hand through Midnight's black main with gentle care.

"At my parents home," She let out a breath, "Mother said I didn't need a reminder of my past when I came here," Her lips pursed as she seemed to push away the memory and put one of her feet into the stirrups, lifting herself up onto the stallion with ease. "Do you…want a ride back to the castle?"

He saw that she was taking a leap of faith by extending a kindness to him. She was his wife, for christ sake, it shouldn't be that big of a deal to share a horse with her. So he nodded, watching her remove her foot from the stirrup for him as he slipped his own in in order to get up into the saddle.

"Here you go," She kept her face forward as he slid into the saddle snugly behind her, holding the reins up for him.

"It's all right, it's your ride," He reassured her, sensing she was used to always having to give up control to more domineering personalities. He watched her give the reins a gentle tug as the horse trotted into motion, forcing him to wrap an arm around her waist when he swayed backward.

"Is this okay?" He asked quietly near her ear at where his arm and hand came to rest. Her bottom was pressed tightly into his crotch thanks to the angle of the saddle, his chest brushing against her back no matter how rigidly straight she kept hers. His right arm had instinctively wrapped around her waist, resting on her flat stomach and his hand curled around her left side.

"It's fine," She nodded once, keeping her head facing their path. Her hair smelled wonderful and her body was warm against his. After a few minutes they both relaxed into the horse's motion, her back coming to relax more against his chest. He supposed with the comfortable silence between them she had allowed herself to forget his presence and just enjoy the feeling of him. He sensed she was as guarded as he was, so he certainly didn't mind.

They rode back to the castle in silence, their bodies warming each other with the lowering sun. When they arrived back at the stables and dismounted they exchanged knowing glances that something had changed between them; that they could now consider one another a friend. There was no harm in that, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

_thanks so much for the favorites, follows and reviews! I usually start a story based on emotional inspiration and make up plot as I go but for this story I have a lot of ideas of how I want it to play out and what I want to happen. I'm going to weave some of the true scenes from the show in with my story, to keep some authenticity to Regina's past. It's still stemming from the same initial event - Daniel's death...but I want to explore what would happen to her if she had someone intervene and keep her from being fully consumed by the darkness and of course the twist of her being David's Queen...let me know what you think! Your reviews make me want to update faster :) xxx_

* * *

Regina was bored as she often was in the castle with no companionship. Her days were often spent thinking of her happy memories with Daniel, however painful it was. She'd known true love once and she made herself replay their good times over and over so she'd never forget the feeling that she'd never have again. It was the closest she'd ever been to happy and the only time she felt she really had someone to depend on, so now in her isolation she clung to the memory.

She and David had made some progress, though. She wasn't foolish enough to think they'd ever truly be husband and wife, but they had agreed to become friends and he did not avoid her now. Conversation was becoming easier with him and things were less tense now that they'd gotten more comfortable with each other.

He was rather intuitive and a good listener for a King, something she hadn't expected out of a man who had everyone catering to him. Their conversations stayed light, though. She hadn't asked him about his late wife and he hadn't spoken of her.

Regina grew more and more curious as to what was so special about her to still hold the heart of this man after her death. The more she found out about David the more she realized he was a good man. He was in his early thirties, the age gap between them minimal compared to most royal couples of this realm. Still, he had not touched her in any way other than friendly and innocently.

Most men would not think twice before claiming what they thought was theirs after marriage, and she was thankful that he had not made her feel as if she owed him anything. She found herself wondering if he had a mistress or a friend that he saw for that sort of thing, like many other distinguished men did. It was common for these men to even be seen out with their mistresses, for it was perfectly acceptable. Regina couldn't imagine ever being all right with a man she loved being intimate with someone else, but it seemed to happen so often.

She meandered down the empty hall of the castle, often finding herself wandering the wings of it in exploration while her mind attempted to make sense of everything. Her grief over losing Daniel had become tolerable now; something she could compartmentalize away for the time being. Her life was so different compared to then, she could almost pretend like her past wasn't real. That everything bad that had happened to her was a bad dream.

Her attention was drawn to the sound of the royal guard opening the gates outside, making her way to the small veranda on the side of the castle to see who it was. As she leaned over she saw David sitting tall on his horse, entering the castle with a few of his guards by his side. He looked handsome, wearing a simple shoulder armor that showcased how broad his chest was.

She hadn't an idea where he'd been that day for Mrs. Lucas said he already left when she came down for breakfast that morning. Much to her chagrin she'd shared breakfast with her bratty step-daughter who threw daggers at her every time she looked up from her plate. The mystery of where David had been was quickly solved though when her eyes looked past him and his hold on an additional tether, a tether leading back to a mare following behind his own horse. A mare that looked familiar and made Regina squint her eyes to make sure she was seeing clearly. _Rocinante._

Regina covered her mouth with a hand instinctually at the cry that escaped her lips, apparently loud enough for him to notice when he looked above him towards the balcony where she stood. She saw him smile a little and lift a hand in greeting, but that was all she had the patience to witness before she was racing down the hall for the stairs.

He had already dismounted and the guards that were with him had taken his own horse to the stables by the time she burst through the large castle doors. She was shock and overjoyed all at the same time. Breathlessly and smiling from ear to ear, dress disheveled and hair falling from the elegant updo Mrs. Lucas had done.

"Rocinante!" She cried as she ran towards the horse who gave a whinny at the sight of Regina. The mare muzzled her face against her back when she flung her arms around her strong neck, to hug her tightly. "I've missed you."

Having her best friend here already made her world feel less lonely, and she had David to thank for that. She suddenly remembered he was there, pulling away from her mare with tears in her eyes, "How did you get her?" She asked with eyes wide and full of wonder. Normally she would have attempted to hide the raspy emotion in her voice or the gloss to her eyes, but this truly meant so much to her.

He was standing silently and smiling as he watched her react, "You were always bringing her up in conversation, I thought she must mean a lot to you. So myself and a couple of guards went to your parents' estate and retrieved her for you."

"My mother let you take her?" Regina's lips parted in surprise.

David gave a grin she'd never seen on him before and it stirred something in her stomach, "Regina, when the King goes to someone's house personally demanding something for his Queen, it is not a question of whether this person will let him or not."

His Queen. He'd called her his Queen and it made emotion well within her. He'd met her mother and stood up to her. No one had ever done anything so nice for Regina. No one had ever defied her mother and lived to tell of it, either. But what Cora respected was power, and David had more of it than her mother did and her mother knew it.

"I bet she was so angry," She looked up at him with a mischievous grin before biting down on her bottom lip to try to stop it. He was grinning back at her and she was suddenly aware of how handsome he actually was. His jaw and chin were perfectly chiseled, with a little scruff to them. His eyes were a striking blue, his lips full but masculine.

"You're pleased, I take it?" His smile turned softer and she shook her head, stepping up and wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. It was the first time they'd ever touched like this, but she hugged him without hesitation. His arms came around her waist and he squeezed her back. He was big and warm and strong and it felt good to be so close to him.

"Thank you," She whispered near his ear as she clung to him for a moment before pulling back a little embarrassed, looking down before tucking a strand of hair that had escaped during her excitement back behind her ear, "No one's ever done something so nice for me."

"You're welcome," He reached out, tipping her chin back up to let her know she needn't be embarrassed, "Go for a ride, I know you want to," He smiled playfully at her, causing her to grin again with girlish excitement.

* * *

"You've grown fond of the new Queen, haven't you?" Leopold approached David as he made his way out onto the balcony facing the back meadow behind the castle.

David looked up from where he leaned against the stone, watching Regina ride Rocinante as she galloped across the open land. He frowned at the smug look on Leopold's face, giving a shake of his head, "She's a nice girl, she didn't want this anymore than I did so there's no reason she needs to be miserable."

"She's your wife now David, it is okay to become fond of her," He let our a breath as a frown drew his furry brows together, "The people are talking…"

"About what?" The King frowned at his former father-in-law, crossing his arms as he leaned his back against the stone ledge behind him.

"About how the Queen has been here nearly five months now and you two are never seen in public together. They think that she is not making you happy, the word is that she is cold and distant and undeserving of her new King."

"What the hell? Neither one of us wanted this, why is she getting the blame?" David shook his head irritatedly. The whole kingdom was full of gossips that had nothing better to do than spread rumors. Regina was shy and reserved, but never cold and distant with him. They both had their walls for different reasons, but if anyone should be blamed for being distant, it was him.

"Because you're their beloved King, David," The older man sat down in one of the outdoor chairs with a sigh, "They'll always blame her over you. There's also other talk…I believe it originated with your chamber maids."

"Spit it out," David demanded, his frown drawing deeper across his forehead.

"There's word that you and the Queen have not consummated your nuptials yet. One of the chamber maids confirmed that there has been no…sign…of it. If you get my drift."

"What makes them think it is any of their business?!" He roared angrily that they would talk about his and Regina's relationship that way. They barely new each other, while these prying idiots were looking for blood on the sheets.

"All I'm saying David is that your kingdom is growing unsure of her, she is their Queen after all," He nodded, "If the people do not feel they know their Queen, they grown uneasy. Snow was a natural with her people and they adored her. Regina is up against much."

"Regina and I will figure it out on our own time, I don't give a fuck what the people think. And let it be known that if I catch word of any more chatter from the people in my own castle, I will make some changes to the staffing."

* * *

"I did it!" Regina smiled brightly at the frozen creature in front of her, blue magic radiating from it's still frame. She had managed to purposely summon her magic in an controlled action and achieved her intended result. It was a huge step for her and she wondered for a moment if Rumple was proud.

"How does it feel, Deary?" He propped his thin frame up against a nearby tree, "Using magic…"

She stared at the magnificent unicorn standing above her, circling it slowly in wonderment of what she had done. Excitement coursed through her veins and a small amount of guilt at how good it felt, "I love it….but this can't happen again. I don't want to turn into my mother, I just want to learn how to control my own power so I don't hurt anyone else."

"Which is exactly what I'm teaching you to do by showing you all of this," He pointed his hands to the unicorn, "By doing exercises like this you recognize the extent of your own power. That's all, Deary. Let me guide you."

"What's in it for you?"

"Someday, you will do something for me."

"And I won't become like her?" He seemed genuine enough, so Regina believed him. There was no one in the realm that could teach her more about magic than the Dark One and she wanted to make sure that she could control hers.

"That is entirely up to you," He smiled coyly, causing her to let out a breath, "Ready for the next step?" He asked, watching her nod and turn back to the beast.

"Take it's heart," Rumple gave an animated shrug. All of the pride she'd momentarily held in achieving her task of freezing the creature plummeted with his simple order. She was playing with fire when it came to him.

She didn't have any friends at the castle aside from David and Mrs. Lucas who was slowly warming up to her. David was gone half of the time and she tried not to cling to him or depend on him emotionally, for she knew he would never love her the way he did Snow. He was merely being friendly with her and she appreciated it, but she did not expect it to lead anywhere.

So when Rumple showed up incessantly, she caved, allowing him to begin teaching her how to control and conjure her magic. It wasn't like she had anything else to fill her days. It scared her at first, learning the power she possessed her small frame. Power she never knew existed until she felt the pain of loss.

Regina looked at him coldly, "Like what my mother did to-"

"Ahh, to your true love, indeed! Then you already know how it's done!" He gave her a greasy smile that made her stomach turn as she looked away from him.

The memory of what her mother did to Daniel surfaced in her mind, sending it into a turmoil. Hurt and rage bubbled within her, only letting her emotions out in moments like these when she needed to harness them. She turned to the black unicorn, bracing herself, bringing up her hand.

Rumple was rambling on about something in the background but she wasn't listening. Her entire focus was on the beast in front of her. His explanation had made sense; how was she supposed to know the extent of her capabilities unless she exercised them? She summoned all of the darkness inside of her, bringing up her hand near the unicorn's heart, trying to will herself to take it.

"I can't!" She turned back to him breathlessly, admitting defeat. "It's innocent!"

"Nothing, is innocent," He said with a bite to his words before turning and jerking the heart from the unicorn's chest, "Now it belongs to me. See, when you take a heart, it becomes enchanted, stronger than normal. You're not hurting the beast, you're controlling it. Now, show me you know what to do with that power," He tossed the heart towards her which she caught with a startle, "Kill it."

"What?" She looked at him in disbelief.

"You've seen it done, now do it yourself. Show me you can take the next step in your training. Crush it," He clenched his fist with a menacing expression.

She stared down at the heart in her hands as she turned to the beast. Her own heart was beating in her ears as she felt the palpitations coming from the strong one she held. Something didn't feel right. Why would Rumple want her to kill a living thing?

He said the choice of whether to use her power for bad or good was entirely up to her. Then why was he trying to make her do this? Her mind kept going back to his explanation of her training; that she had to exercise her magic to know her limits and her strengths.

She desperately wanted to learn to control her power, so she began to squeeze. Her own eyes closed and welled with tears when she saw the beast lay down with a pained noise. Her hand shook, her heart lurching in her chest before she let go of her squeeze on the heart.

"Deary, deary, deary…And I had such high hopes for you," Rumple shook his head with a disgusted look at her. His tone reminded her of Cora's and the way she used to express her disappointment in her constantly.

She finally found her voice again, thick with emotion, "I didn't sign up to kill unicorns."

"Magic is power, until you can take power, you're not learning anything! Do you want me to teach you or not?"

"Yes," She agreed with an adamant expression. She wanted to learn but she did not want to become her mother. There was a fine line she had to be aware of.

"Then there's one question that you need to ponder….what's holding you back? Do you really think that you have a friend in that King of yours? He doesn't want you Regina. Nobody does. Your true love is dead, your husband is in love with a ghost, your parents pawned you off like an object and your stepdaughter despises you. Who are you trying to preserve your heart for?"

* * *

 _"I heard she's awful to your poor Father, a true ice queen."_

 _"King David was lonely since your mother passed, that's the only reason she got her claws in him."_

 _"You've nothing to worry about, Emma. The kingdom is a buzz with nothing but bad things to say about her. Your mother's memory is alive and well."_

 _"She's right, Regina isn't wanted here."_

She stood in the shadows of the hallway, stopping when she'd heard Emma and her friends coming down the intersecting hall. Her throat tightened at the girls harsh words, making her shrink back behind the corner and hold her breath as they passed the hall she was in.

It was true she never wanted to be Queen and never wanted to be here, but to hear just how much she wasn't wanted made her feel sick to her stomach. She was an outcast, wanted by no one. Her own family pawned her off from one home without love and into another.

"Come, girl," She jumped at the sudden realization she was not alone, but her shoulders sagged in relief when she felt Mrs. Lucas' hand on the small of her back. Regina glanced back at her with tears welling, seeing sympathy in the older woman's eyes. "Let's draw you a nice hot bath."

Regina didn't have the strength to argue as she gave a small nod, letting Mrs. Lucas lead her down the hall towards her own chamber. "Why do they hate me, Mrs. Lucas?" Her voice sounded small to her own ears, but she was so tired. Tired of being somewhere she wasn't wanted. Tired of pretending she was happy for the eyes of onlookers. Tired of not being enough to make anyone love her.

"The people don't hate you, girl…they just don't know you," She said gently, wrapping an arm around Regina's narrow waist in an unexpected comforting nature, "They loved Queen Snow, but to them you're a stranger. I know you didn't want this life but if you want to be accepted by them, you must show them who you are," She led her into her chamber, nudging her to sit down on her large, empty bed.

"I don't know how, I don't know who I am," Regina admitted, feeling a tear roll down her face as she swallowed hard at the knot in her throat. She felt so lost and unloved and unwanted. She stared into her lap, fighting the tears that were coming before she felt Mrs. Lucas' hands cup her face and tilt it back up.

"Enough of that, girl. You're gentle and kind, you have a lot to offer," The gray haired woman's words shocked her, never having anyone speak to her in such a maternal way, which only made the tears come faster. "I've seen the way David has begun to look at you. I think you two will be good for each other."

"He only pities me," Regina muttered, shifting her eyes away from the woman in front of her, "He loves his late wife and I can't blame him, for my heart still belongs to my late fiancé."

"Fiancé?" Mrs. Lucas looked at her with her brows knitted together, taking a seat beside Regina on the bed, "Girl, I didn't know you lost someone you loved."

"Nobody does, only my mother," She smiled weakly, "But she was behind it all. Nobody mourns Daniel but me."

"I'm sorry, child," The older lady ran a hand over Regina's hair and pulled her against her chest, and she let her. She crumbled under the woman's maternal touch, letting out her tears in the shoulder of the simple cotton dress she wore. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

"Good morning, boy," David groaned as he heard Granny's voice and felt the bright sunshine invade his room when she threw open the curtains. "Time to get up."

"It's Saturday, what do I have to get up for?" He complained, rolling over onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillows. "You're a pain in my arse, Granny."

"Always have been, always will be," She retorted, going over to his wash basin to freshen up the water. The woman had been a friend of his mother who was now gone, and had helped look after him since he was a little boy. She wasn't his actual grandmother, but she was older than his own mother and had always been referred to by the children in the village as Granny Lucas.

When he married Snow he invited her to come live with them as part of the family, but she insisted that she have a job to do. Since then she had practically ran the show around the castle, bossing the chamber maids and even David when he needed it. And he usually did.

"You and the Queen are attending a ball tonight, you need to get fitted for last minute adjustments to your suit," She said matter of factly, going over to open his wardrobe and rifling through the outfits he'd not worn since before Snow had died.

"A ball? I never agreed to go to a ball," He rolled over, sitting up with a frown as he raked his fingers through his wild bed hair.

"I know, I accepted the invitation on your and the Queen's behalf," Granny gave a shrug before pulling out a suit she must've liked and bringing it over to throw on the bed in front of him.

"Granny," David groaned through his teeth, "Why would you do that?" He hated royal balls and gatherings since Snow died. It was a disgusting reminder of how happy he had been before, how alive their own kingdom had been with the many events his wife had planned and attended.

"Because you and your Queen are not old people yet and I will refuse to let you act like it," She chided, making her way over to the bed and jerking the covers off of him, "I know you didn't choose it this way but your bride is young, she deserves to dress up and be taken to balls and made to feel special."

"Our relationship isn't like that Granny, we're friends and nothing else," He frowned, jerking the sheet back up over his lap being in only his breeches.

"You're both much too young to be so sad and lonely," She leveled with him over her glasses, "You're not the only one in the marriage who has lost love. You have more in common than you think. I've also seen the glances you two steal at each other," She raised an eyebrow, "Don't be a fool and let something good go to waste."

He stared at her with a frown before grumbling as he started to scoot towards the edge of the bed, knowing Granny wasn't going to budge, "Who's damn ball are we going to?"


	4. Chapter 4

_So I had this long, inspired chapter typed up and then it somehow disappeared from my documents. Here is my best rewrite of it from memory, with a little added part in the middle because it just happened that way, haha. By the way, David does not have the same history with Midas and Abigail as on the show. And yes, they will end up in Storybrooke at some point but not for a while. Keep reviewing! xxx_

* * *

"What are you all dressed up for?" David's daughter pulled him from his thoughts as he stared down at the pocket watch wondering if they'd ever leave the house. Regina and Granny had been upstairs for the entire afternoon and he was beginning to wonder if his bride was having second thoughts.

"Going to a ball," He sighed and gave a shrug as he pushed his hand into his suit pockets and leaned against the archway to the foyer. "Or at least I think I am."

"Is she going with you?" His daughter gave him a disapproving look, the same one Snow had given him countless times. Too bad Emma had inherited his hot headed temperament instead of her mothers calmer one. Perhaps she'd be easier to deal with if she had.

"Regina? Yes, she is," He nodded once, bracing himself for the fit Emma was bound to throw. He'd found it increasingly harder to connect with her lately and he didn't know how she was feeling about all of this, but he couldn't imagine it was good. He'd noticed she'd been moody and snippy like a typical teenager and the addition to their family couldn't be easy.

"You're actually going to go parade her around in public?! Do you know how humiliating that is?" Emma's mouth dropped as her face reddened, "Everyone knows she's a vixen who got her claws into a lonely widow. She didn't want you, she wanted the lifestyle and its embarrassing that everyone knows that but you!"

He looked at her a little stunned before giving a chuckle at how wrong his daughter was about Regina. Then a shot of irritation ran through him at the fact his own flesh and blood would believe rumors of the kingdom about what was going on in her own household, "Regina did not want this marriage anymore than I did, I'll have you know. Her mother and Leopold arranged this whole thing. She's to be treated with respect, do you understand?" He frowned at the young girl who he'd let get away with too much since the passing of her mother.

Emma glared at him slack jawed, but something else caught his attention in the heat of the moment, causing him to lift his head quickly.

He saw Granny at the top of the stairs gently nudge a small frame from behind hers, making Regina step forward. Her dress was a deep blue, low cut in the front and the back, embellished with simple silver and blue jewels around the neck and waist. The top of her hair was pulled back and twisted into a simple knot, showing off her slim neck and shoulders. His eyes caught her lips that were painted red and something inside of his coiled.

He realized he was staring, seeing her hand grip the railing of the steps as she looked at him insecurely. David shook his head in awe before giving her a smile of approval that she returned with a hint of relief as she made her way down the stairs. He caught Granny in the corner of his eye, standing near the top with a smug expression. _Old bat knew what she was doing._

He'd forgotten his heated conversation with Emma until she'd apparently witnessed the moment between he and Regina and let it be known. "I hate you both!" She yelped before running for the stairs, knocking Regina in the shoulder on her way past. David sighed and began to follow her until Granny caught his and motioned him to go before following the girl herself.

"I'm sorry about that," David said, coming over to the bottom of the steps and holding his hand out for Regina as she got to the last one.

"What's wrong with her? Why is she upset? Did she want to go?" Regina looked up at him with her brow furrowed slightly with worry. He knew Emma had been a brat to her but she still looked concerned and he couldn't help but smile at how caring she could be.

"No, no she's upset because...well...because of my reaction to you," He admitted, running a hand over the back of his neck as he gave her a sheepish smile. It was pointless to deny at this point after the moment they'd shared when she appeared at the top of his staircase looking like a goddess. "You look stunning."

The smile that she gave him shattered and warmed his heart at the same time. It was if she was expecting a criticism instead of a compliment and it took her by complete surprise. "Thank you," She took his arm that he offered and walked close to him towards the door. He noticed how appreciative she seemed to be of small gestures and he wondered if she'd truly been that neglected her entire life. Had no one told her she was beautiful? Had no one showed her affection? He couldn't imagine how, but it seemed they hadn't.

David noticed the heads of the guards quickly turn at the sight of Regina when they came outside and he couldn't blame him. But when he felt her lean into him shyly at the sudden attention, he gave them all a firm look that had them straightening their stances immediately. Regina had come from a decent family, surely she'd been invited to balls and dances. Surely she'd experienced dressing up and enjoying the attention of a special someone. Or had she really been so sheltered that she really wasn't used to turning heads when she entered a room?

"After you," He helped her up into the carriage first when the driver held the door open for them, not being able help but notice the feminine curve of her bottom as it neared his line of vision on her way into the carriage.

He stepped up into the carriage next, deciding to take the seat across from her instead of beside her. There was a flicker of disappointment in her eyes at his choice, but he wasn't sure how they were acting tonight. They had agreed to be friends, but would they pretend to be in love at the ball for the sake of publicity? He wasn't sure, but there was no reason to confuse things anymore so by cuddling on the way there.

"So how long does it take to get to Midas' kingdom?" Regina asked casually, turning her head to look out the carriage window.

"About an hour. Long enough for us both to bitch about Granny making us go tonight," He smirked at her with a wag of his eyebrow and they both chuckled. He was glad they were at least comfortable enough around each other to laugh. There seemed to be a mutual admiration for each other, but David felt something still held both of them back from even considering the possibility of evolving their relationship.

"Why do you call her Granny?" She asked him curiously, mindlessly playing with the seams of her gloves in her lap.

"She was a friend of my mom's, I've known her since I was a little boy. She was older than my mom and all of us kids in the village called her Granny," He gave a shrug, "When I married Snow my mother had just died so I invited Granny to come live with us as family, but she insisted she had to have a job to do. So she's been running the household ever since."

"You grew up in a village?" He glanced up to see her looking at him with one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows raised and he grinned.

"I grew up on a farm, not even in the village," He chuckled at her confusion, "I was a shepherd. I met Snow by chance and somehow her father agreed to let her marry a commoner like me."

"My first love was a stable boy," Regina admitted with a small, understanding smile, "But my mother would never allow me to marry 'beneath me' as she put it."

"But you loved him all the same," David nodded looking at her knowingly, realizing this must be the love Granny had mentioned she lost, "What was his name?" Regina had to live with reminders of his dead wife, it was only right that he learn about her past love.

"Daniel," Regina smiled as if she were thinking of a memory when she said his name out loud, "He's gone now."

"What happened?" He watched the young woman bow her head at his question and he regretted asking for a moment at the toll it seemed to be taking on her.

"My mother," She let out a breath with strangled words before she lifted her chin up to tell the story. He watched her shoulders visibly sag at the weight of the burden she carried, "Once she and Leopold had arranged our marriage she was determined to not let anything get in the way of me becoming Queen. After I found out about the marriage I told Daniel and we made plans to run away and elope...but apparently my mother had been watching me even closer than normally and she..followed me the night I met him in the stables...She made us think she was going to give us her blessing only to get close enough to take his heart."

David stared at her in shock, never hearing of a mother doing something like that to their daughter...Or of a mother doing something like that to anyone. What kind of things had Regina experienced under the thumb of a mother cruel enough to rip love away from her?

"Regina...I'm so sorry," He frowned deeply, trying to decide what to say next. He had a million questions for her, but he noticed the way her eyes turned hesitant as if she had something else to say.

"That is why I do not like that I have been cursed with magic. I want nothing to do with my mother or her ways," She said before he could reply and he realized that she was apologizing for who she was in a way. She was suppressing her abilities because she was afraid they would make her into Cora. She was denying any association with magic to him so he would not think her to be like her mother. How sad was it that she felt she couldn't be loved as she was?

"Regina it isn't possessing magic that makes you bad or good, it's what you do with it," He looked at her seriously but she only bit her lip and shifted from his gaze. "There is nothing wrong with you."

"But everything bad that's happened to me, magic has been at the source of it," She swallowed hard and he noticed the endearing crease in her brow that happened when she was struggling to speak. She was a beautiful creature, even in her pain. "My mother used magic to taunt me and punish me all of my life, she used it to control my father, to kill my fiance. And my own magic, if I'd have known how to control it I could've saved Daniel, I could've protected us both."

"You can't blame yourself for Daniel's death," He recognized the burden she carried, knew it all too well for he had went through years of blaming himself for Snow, "I beat myself up for years thinking I could have done something to save my wife. I didn't think I deserved to live when she didn't and that I should have tried harder. I went through scenarios of how I could've searched for a better healer, how I could've made a deal with a sorcerer for her to live. But things happen that are out of our control. You have to stop torturing yourself."

"I suppose it's easier said than done," She nodded once with a tight smile as she bit down on her bottom lip and looked up at him. So much hurt laced her dark brown eyes; there was a wisdom and age to her soul that should be so young.

"You'll find love again," David found himself reassuring her, though he didn't know why he made the promise. Life was fleeting and nothing was for certain; he'd long since made peace with the fact that his time with Snow was the only time he'd know true happiness.

Regina smiled sadly and gave him a look that made him feel like she was seeing straight through him, "How will I?" She asked simply and he knew exactly what she meant. He knew they understood that both of their hearts were broken and their baggage was immense. Their union made it impossible for them to go in search for love even if they wanted to, and the walls around their hearts held them back from seeing if there may even be something special right in front of them.

* * *

"I hate her!" Emma exclaimed to Granny, throwing herself onto her large feather bed, "She's ruining our lives!"

Granny pressed her hands to her hips before letting out a deep breath, approaching the girl on the bed and sitting down beside her, running a hand over her blonde hair, "How has she ruined your life, Princess?"

"Don't tell me you like her, Granny," The teenager lifted her head from her pillow and frowned at the older woman incredulously, "You know she's playing Father for a fool. You even said yourself you didn't like the sound of this marriage when it first came to be."

"That was before I met Regina," Granny raised an eyebrow over her glasses, "She didn't want this marriage anymore than your father did, Princess. Her mother arranged it for her just like your Grandfather Leopold arranged it for your father. Regina isn't out to use your father for his money or his status."

"How do you know?" The blonde leaned back against her headboard and crossed her arms in a defiant manner. Granny had seen such a change in the young girl since her mother died, but she couldn't blame her. Emma was dealing with being motherless as well as she knew how. She was much like David, coping without really letting anyone help her, which meant they were too much alike to help each other. She was approaching a difficult age where she needed guidance from a woman, though Granny herself felt she was too old to relate to a thirteen year old. Regina was the perfect in between, wiser than her 18 years but still young enough to give advice to Emma, if the stubborn girl would only give her a chance.

"I believe the only thing the young Queen wants is to have a family, people who care about her," Granny smiled weakly, "Much like you do."

"I had a mother, I don't need another."

"I didn't say you did."

"Then what are you getting at, Granny?"

"I'm saying you should give her a chance, you both could use a friend. And not friends like those little snits you bring over to the castle, real ones," Granny rolled her eyes at the thought of the sniveling little brats that Emma was accompanying herself with lately. She had normally been such a level headed kid, but the change she'd seen in her recently was not a positive one. She understood the girl was hurting, though, in need of a woman in her life to lead her. But Emma was much too protective of her father and that is what made her unable to give Regina a chance.

"Don't you think the King has seemed a little less...grumpy, lately?" Granny suggested to the young Princess who shifted her eyes away to avoid agreeing with her.

"Do you think he loves her?" Emma asked after a moment, clenching her jaw and blinking just a few too many times to keep her true emotion hidden from Granny.

"I don't believe they're quite there yet, Emma," She softened her tone, understanding how the girl must be feeling. Her father was the only parent she had left and Regina was a threat to that, "But if that were to happen, I don't think Regina would ever be the kind of woman to put a wedge between you and your father, or try to replace your mother's memory..." She could tell she had planted a seed of thought in Emma's mind and that was good enough. The change wouldn't happen over night, but at least she got the young girl thinking. Emma didn't reply, so Granny stood and pulled the covers up over the girl, tucking her in as she had done for years, "Get some sleep, Princess."

* * *

"It's grand, isn't it?" She heard David say as she wrapped her hand and wrist around his strong arm, letting him lead her towards the entrance of the castle. The rest of their carriage ride conversation had lightened considerably and she'd been fully relaxed by the time they'd arrived. But now that they'd exited the comfort of just the two of them in the carriage, her heart was in her throat. She saw lords and ladies and other members of society look up from their conversations across the lawn to gawk at the new King and Queen. It was their first public appearance and Regina's first real appearance at all, besides their wedding. Luckily her nerves had allowed her to block out the crowd then, but now it felt suffocating.

"Wait until you see the inside." He added as he led her towards the receiving line. David was a natural, smiling and greeting people that he knew. She felt frozen, unconsciously digging her fingers into his arm tighter as she forced polite smiles at the women who made no attempt to cover their disdain for her and the fact that their husbands expressed everything but. She also didn't fail to notice the women who raked David over with their gazes like Regina wasn't even there, but her husband gave them the same polite greeting and kept walking.

The music became louder, as did the chattering of the people inside as they approached the carpet covered steps up to the large front doors. Regina tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She'd never felt like more of an outsider than she did right now. "Regina? Regina?" She heard David's voice bring her from her thoughts as she turned her head to look up at him with wide eyes. "What's the matter? You look pale."

"I can't do this, David," She whispered, breathing a little heavier as the panic rose inside of her.

"What do you mean?" He looked down at her, obviously bewildered by her sudden change of mood from inside the carriage to here. He glanced around before pulling her by the arm behind one of the large pillars of the castle to privacy, "I don't understand."

"These people are expecting you to be married to a Queen, but I don't know the first thing about being Queen," She admitted, all of her insecurities bubbling up and out of her. Her corset suddenly felt like it was taking the breath from her and she clutched at the neckline of her dress, "I don't want to make a fool of your kingdom or you, but look at me. I don't even know how to dance!"

Her eyes were downcast but she could feel him studying her, felt his big hands reach out and take her own away from tugging at the low lying neckline of her dress where it met her corset. Her hands nearly disappeared in his own as he used his thumbs to rub the back of her hands in soothing circles, saying nothing for a few moments. She wasn't used to someone being so gentle with her when she was upset and it only made her want to break down even more. That was until she noticed he was smiling when she finally had control enough to look up at him without bursting into tears.

"Do you think this is funny?" She frowned quickly, irritation replacing her anxiety in an instant, causing him to laugh at the quick flare of her temper.

"No, come on," He said, tugging her by the hand as he took off down a dimly lit pathway to go around the castle. She frowned in confusion, glancing back at the people near the front of the castle that didn't seem to notice before following him. She kept glancing up at him as she made quick steps to keep up with his long legged strides, trying to decipher his mood when he glanced at her and smirked.

David led her to a dimly lit veranda on the side of the home. No guests had found this space yet, for she figured that would come much later in the night when couples snuck off to look for a private corner. He let go of her hands once he led her under the covered veranda, leaving her to glance around at the new surrounding. She could still see the night sky through the flower and ivy that vined up the posts of the structure and over the trellis' above. The stars and solitude calmed her considerably, though her attention was brought back down to David when she saw him reach into his suit jacket and pull out a flask.

"What is that?" The mischievous grin on his face made a smile appear on her own as she watched him screw off the lid and take a sip, blowing through his teeth and scrunching up his face after he swallowed, "Don't tell Granny," He added, making her chuckle. She sensed she was seeing a younger David, one who wasn't so guarded and got into mischief and charmed women like herself.

He held the flask out to her and though she'd never had liquor she took it, tipping it up and taking a drink from it before making the same face he did and coughing a little, hearing him laugh again at her reaction. She shook her head, handing it back to him with wide eyes, "That's disgusting."

"But it'll help with the nerves," He nodded with a smile, tucking the flask back into his suit while she already felt the warming effect of the liquor on her empty stomach.

"Now," He held his hands up in a waltz position, "Time to teach the Queen how to dance," He smiled encouragingly for her to give him her arms. She took a deep breath, finding it rather endearing that he'd pull her to the side and help her shake her anxiety in such a way. She lifted her hands and let them be encased by his larger ones.

"Just feel it," He nodded as he secured her arms where they should be and lowered one of his own to her waist to pull her a bit closer. "Step back with your left foot."

They'd barely started to move before she did the opposite of what he said and stepped forward on his foot, instantly huffing and pulling back in frustration. She hated when she couldn't do something well, hated the feeling of failure and looking like a fool. Cora would always mock her or scold her until she perfected whatever she was doing. To mess up in front of him, well that was a whole other level of embarrassing.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's fine," David reassured her with a patient smile, "Don't be so hard on yourself," He coaxed her back into trying before she gave him a nod. He started counting softly, moving his feet slow enough to guide hers and allow her to find a pattern with the movements, "You're a natural."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile at his encouragement, beginning to enjoy the feeling of him being leading her around the veranda. It was a rather simple dance, but it still surprised her how easily she felt herself catching on. The warmth of his hand penetrated her lower back, calming her down and giving her butterflies at the same time. He watched her with vivid blue eyes when he no longer had to count to keep their steps on time, and she met his gaze with her own. There was something about him she felt she could trust; something about him that made her feel safe.

"By my guess," His voice came out low and almost secretive as he pulled her a little closer, making her breath catch her in throat, "You're going to be asked to dance by so many men here tonight, you'll be a professional by the time this ball is over."

"Hmm," She smiled up at him, glancing down at his lips before back at his eyes. He'd made it so clear he was still in love with his late wife, but it felt an awful lot like he was flirting with her. "You think so? And what will you do?" She played along, seeing his smile stay on his lips but his eyes seemed to grow a shade darker.

"I'd imagine I'll be a little jealous."


	5. Chapter 5

_so i know you all are really hating emma right now because she's a brat, but mayyyybe one day she and regina will get along ;) i want to hear more reviews, tell me what you're thinking! good, bad or ugly. but not too ugly, because i'm writing this for fun and my grammar is all over the place, i know this. alas, i write fanfiction from feeling, not from a grammatical stand point. if it sounds good when you read it in your head, who cares? also, i'm probably going to mix both of their POVs in some chapters because it just makes the scene more fun to write xD review review review, please!_

* * *

Regina had never been one for wine. Cora's was always too bitter for her liking; but the wine Midas was serving tasted sweet and the supply was never ending. It was growing late into the night but she didn't care, she had stopped caring by her second glass. David was enjoying Midas' wine too, she could see it in the permanent grin that seemed to be plastered to his face as he laughed and visited with old friends.

Inside the castle was just as grand as David promised it would be. There was a dance floor surrounded by large round tables for guests, adorned with intricate candelabrums in the middle of them giving the area a perfect soft light. Each place setting had gold dishes and wine goblets with flower petals scattered over the table cloth. She'd been to a few events with Cora before, but nothing like this. And of course, she never was able to enjoy herself, but David was making sure she did now.

The judgement on her had eased up a bit as the party progressed and people grew bored of giving her looks and instead focused on their own over-indulgence. Regina and David had been seated at a table with a few other royal couples and she had been unsure of it at first but they turned out to be decent. One was a quiet man named Thomas and a bubbly blonde named Ella who never seemed to stop talking, but Regina was buzzed enough to smile and have a reply for her when addressed.

Despite their practice, Regina hadn't danced with David yet. He had looked at her in offering a few times when the orchestra played a slow waltz but she would shake her head 'no' and give him an apologetic smile. She was enjoying sitting with him too much and he seemed to understand that she was finally at ease and that was a big enough step for tonight. For a while she forgot her sadness and her past, she allowed herself to be his Queen and pretended that it was real. The people they were with didn't know any different and it felt nice to be a part of something.

The alcohol had her feeling warm and she found her thoughts were beginning to betray her. She'd sneak a glance at David, realizing just how attractive she found him. She supposed she'd always found him handsome, but never let herself dwell on it until their was wine involved. _He was, though_. She felt guilty at the fact she compared he and Daniel. They were so different, but the feelings she was experiencing now were quite similar to when she first met her stableboy.

She loved Daniel so much and still missed him now, thus the attraction to David left her utterly confused. It wasn't technically wrong, he was her husband after all, but it felt like a betrayal to her fiancés memory. She supposed David was probably doing the same with she and his memory of Snow; so even if he knew what she was thinking, she felt sure he'd understand.

So Regina let herself steal glances at the King, admiring the broadness of his shoulders and the slight stubble on his hard jaw. He was bigger than Daniel was, she supposed the age difference had allowed that. Daniel had been the same age as she, fully matured physically but not as filled out as David whose arms and shoulders were thicker and chest seemed harder. David had a swagger about him that only age could bring as well, a sense of control and maturity that she found she liked. He had an easy confidence that she was jealous of, wondering if she'd ever be as comfortable in her own skin.

"I take it the honeymoon phase still isn't over," Ella leaned towards Regina at the table with a smirk and wine tinged cheeks after catching her watching her husband. By her guess Ella was the same age as she, though she acted much younger. Perhaps not younger, but much more free and much less tainted by life. She wished for a second she could be so carefree. _For now, she would pretend._

"What do you mean?" Regina gave her a smile though she didn't have a clue what the blonde wasn't talking about. She watched her raise an eyebrow in the direction of David and Thomas who were talking in words she couldn't quite hear, making Regina's eyes flick over at him before back at Ella.

"Don't play coy!" The young woman laughed and the mischievous smile dominated her features once more before she spoke again, "King David is the most desired bachelor across the kingdoms...well, was," She flashed a toothy smile at Regina, "Is he as divine as everyone imagines him to be?"

Regina felt a flush creep up her neck as she smiled embarassedly, which Ella mistook as confirmation and she giggled again. "No need to be embarrassed Regina! When Thomas and I first got married we didn't leave our bed for a week."

"A week?" She raised a brow at Ella's admission. She had a pretty good idea of what happened when you slept with someone, but then again she'd never even gotten close. She'd felt urges to do more than kissing with Daniel though, and have been given the chance she probably would've.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about," The blonde reached for her wine glass theatrically and flashed a glance at their husbands, "The first few months are just glorious, aren't they? Finding out what each other likes...and what you don't like...and what you _really_ like," She emphasized the words and made them both laugh, holding a gloved hand over her mouth, "Oh Regina, forgive me. You're just so easy going, I forgot you were Queen."

"Don't worry, I forget all of the time," She admitted with a roll of her eyes and they laughed again. She imagined she and Ella could be good friends if given the chance and she hoped they would get along as well the next time they saw one another. There was a lightness about her that helped Regina forget her worries for the moment.

Regina and her newfound friend almost didn't notice as David and Thomas rose from the table, glancing up when their husbands came to their sides respectively. She saw Thomas murmur something to Ella before kissing her sweetly for a long moment and suddenly she wished she and David had what the couple beside them did. Awkwardly, she found her husband was watching her watch the couple when she turned her head to look up at his presence.

"Thomas and I are going to greet Midas and a few friends of ours, are you okay here?" He pressed a hand to the back of her chair and leaned down to speak to her and his cologne made her senses stir.

"Of course," She gave him a smile at how genuinely he was looking at her to make sure she felt comfortable. _He was a good man._

"I'll be back in just a few minutes," He smiled back at her before making her breath catch in her throat as he leaned his face closer to hers, pressing his lips to her forehead before raising from his bent over position and following Thomas. It was a sweet gesture that left her more scattered than she cared to admit, but she was sure he only did it to keep up appearances in front of the affectionate couple they were seated with. _That had to be it._

* * *

 _"_ You know we all loved Snow, but I'm really happy you've found someone David," Thomas handed the flask back to him and David took another swig before smiling genuinely at Thomas. His friend meant well, but he was much to blinded by his own love for Ella that he assumed everyone else's relationships were the same.

"Thank you," He replied and he truly meant it. It wasn't that didn't care for Regina, or even not find her attractive, but he just wasn't ready. _Was he?_ She looked stunning tonight and the the more she drank the more he would catch her looking his way. He even noticed the way she watched Thomas and Ella with longing eyes and he understood she wanted that. _He missed having that, too._

Still, Snow lingered in the back of his mind. He knew it had been years, but was it fair for him to move on when she couldn't? Besides, it had only been six months since Regina's fiance had died and David knew she was not done grieving him. He was probably thinking too much into things, but he couldn't deny the pull he felt towards his young wife that she was obviously feeling too.

"It seems she and Ella have hit it off quite nicely," His friend added as they leaned against the wall of the castle and observed the crowded dance floor, "We should make plans to visit each other. Ella feels quite isolated sometimes, I'd imagine they have quite a bit in common."

"I'll speak with Regina. She can be quite shy, but I think it would do her well to have a friend in this crowd," David nodded in agreement, "Just between you and me, she and Emma don't get along very well and I feel she could use someone to talk to."

"Well we both know Ella is good at that," Thomas grinned and elbowed him as they both chuckled, "So Emma is having a hard time with you moving on?"

"She is," He sighed at the thought of his daughter. The fact that he didn't go after her to talk to her earlier had worried him a bit. He understood how she must be feeling but she also had to respect Regina and give her a chance. Despite the fact that Regina was his new wife, he knew Emma's mother would've never wanted Emma to be so ugly to someone. "I feel torn between understanding Emma and defending Regina. Regina gave up much to become a part of our family and Emma has never given her a chance. Still, I know it must be hard for Emma adjusting to another woman being in my life, we're all each other has had for five years now."

"It must be hard," His friend replied with a concerned nod, "Uh oh, Abigail alert."

David groaned inwardly. _And here the night had been going so well._ He glanced up to see Abigail with her signature smug expression slinking his way and braced himself for the onslaught of irritation he knew he was about to feel, "Hope she's here for you this time," He muttered towards Thomas, who only chuckled at the fact they both know that wasn't true.

"David, it's lovely to see you again," Abigail approached him, running a hand up his chest in a manner that would seem friendly to the onlooking eyes, but he knew she had an ulterior motive. He'd had to avoid her at every function he'd attended since Snow's death or else she was hanging off of him, causing gossip to spread like wildfire that there was something going on between them. David had tried every way imaginable to express his lack of interest in her, but he did not want to be rude. Especially considering who her father was.

"And you, Abigail," He forced a polite smile, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"He's taken now, Abby," Thomas chirped to which she only threw him a glare. David had to suppress a laugh at how blunt Thomas could be at times. He and Abigail had basically grown up together, their families being friends for generations. _He'd thank him for that comment later._

"Trust me I've heard all about his new wife," Abigail gave a roll of her eyes and drew her lips into an unattractive pout, "You poor thing, I heard she's awful," She pawed at the front of his suit in emphasis of her words.

"Where did you hear that?" David chuckled, letting it be known by his reaction that there was no truth to the rumors. The women in the circles Abigail ran with were the same ladies of the court that would do or say anything to wreck a marriage or tear somebody down. He remembered countless stories Snow would tell him on the way home from events such as this of what these women were capable of.

"Let's just say it's getting around the kingdom how neglected you are," Abigail raised an eyebrow and gave him a suggestive look as she ran a hand down his arm, "Dance with me, David."

"I don't feel like it right now," He simply smiled and shook his head at her desperate attempts, trying to shrug his arm out of her grip by removing it from his pocket but instead she clung to it harder, "Abigail..." He sighed.

"Come on David, are you telling me you don't remember that time here a few years ago?" She purred and David could feel Thomas' eyes grow wide. _Here we go._

"You two...?" His friend spoke up then from his leaned back position against the wall near David, his head popping into David's peripheral vision.

"No," David replied firmly with a warning glance to Thomas that this was all a part of Abigail's scheme, "We kissed and that was it, I was barely standing I had had so much to drink and so wrapped up in my grief I shouldn't even have been out in public."

"You make it sound so cheap," Abigail giggled and reached for his other hand as well, trying to pull him towards her. He knew everyone here had had a bit too much to drink, Abigail included, but he was getting frustrated. There wasn't much else he could do to get his point across but push him away from her and he didn't think Midas would take too well to him man handling his daughter.

"Excuse me."

David heard a familiar voice with an edge of assertion to it from behind Abigail and the blonde immediately turned around, stepping to the side and letting go of him. Regina stood in front of them, still looking as exquisite as she did on their way there tonight. Her eyes held an irritation but he sensed it wasn't at him, watching her turn to address Abigail.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but my husband has been asking me for a dance all night," She plastered a fake smile at the other woman and David felt heat rush through him. _My god_ , was this really the same Regina he was married to? She was normally so quiet and non-confrontational, never this bold. "And I suddenly find myself in the mood." Regina added before turning her gaze to David with a hint of a smirk on her lips. He heard Thomas chuckle, undoubtedly at the look on Abigail's face, but he didn't care enough to look. He couldn't pull his eyes off of this new side of his wife he was seeing.

"Gladly, my Queen," David replied, not knowing if he was calling her that for show or for other reasons he'd rather not think about right now. He held out his hand and captured hers, letting her lead him towards the ball room floor before spinning her around to face him and pulling her close, "Thank you for that," He smirked, pressing a hand to her waist and clasping his free hand with hers.

She grinned up at him in a way that made his heart skip a beat, obviously proud of herself, "Now watch me step on your feet and embarrass myself," She joked as they started to move, making them both laugh. David had been so worried about tonight and how he would feel being back at events like this with another woman, but he had fun with Regina. Her confession of nerves at the beginning of the night had only endeared her to him more, for he felt his own anxiety about their public appearance. The dance on the veranda had been for both of them in a way.

"Do you have history with her?" She asked him with a curious gaze as they moved across the floor and he inwardly kicked himself for ever having laid a hand on Abigail.

"I wouldn't call it a history," He began and saw the disappointment flicker in her eyes.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped by pulling you away from her," Regina surprised him, all traces of the bold and jealous woman gone, "I know we didn't enter into this marriage because of love and I will look the other way if you find what you need elsewhere. I just ask that you don't make a fool of me," She looked up at him firmly, the crease in her brow returning. She was so unpredictable, one minute feisty and daring and the next minute insecure and troubled. His heart hurt for her at how much she had been through already to make her this complex at such a young age.

"I would never make a fool of you," He replied, his hand pulling her waist closer to his securely and looking down at her with the most genuine expression he could muster. He watched her brown eyes study his every moment and he had to consciously try to not lose himself in them along with his train of thought, "Regardless of how we entered this marriage, I do not take my vows lightly. I am not the type to have meaningless dalliances and that won't begin now. You have my word."

She looked as if she accepted his answer but he wasn't sure that she believed it, so he pulled her a bit closer to him by the waist and led her silently in the dance. He may not be able to promise her his heart yet, but he could promise her that he'd always be there for her. And judging from her past, he knew she needed him to prove it.

* * *

"Did you have a good night tonight, Regina?" David asked as the carriage took off, jostling them both in their seat and nudging them closer together. He sat beside her now without hesitation, his arm stretched over the back of the carriage seat. They were both drunk and tired, smiling lazily at one another.

"I had a wonderful time," She nodded leaned in towards his open side, tilting her head to rest of his shoulder. The taste of red wine was still on her lips as she sighed, her inhibitions down and allowing her to feel so natural in his arms. There had never been a night in her life quite like this one with the beautiful gown and castle and wonderful company. The only thing that would have made it more perfect is if she and David actually shared the relationship they pretended to tonight.

"Me too," He admitted, bringing his left arm that was draped across the carriage seat down around her shoulders, his hand coming to pick up a tendril of her hair to play with, "I used to despise those things, but tonight I actually had fun. I'm grateful we at least get along, if nothing else, you know?"

"Hmm, if nothing else," She murmured tilting her head to the side to look up at him, finding that he was waiting and watching for her reaction. The feeling that maybe she wasn't imagining it all between them crept up in her again by the way he gazed at her. She tried to continuously remind herself that it wasn't real, that he was still in love with Snow and she was not over Daniel. _This wouldn't work between them_. She tried, but he kept looking at her this way in their moments alone, kept contradicting everything she was using to reason her way out of it.

His gaze glanced down at her lips and for a moment her heartbeat stopped, wondering what it would feel like to kiss him. Would she feel the same warmth she did as when she'd kissed Daniel? _The same excitement?_

"How did you get the scar on your lip?" He asked instead of pressing his lips to hers, though for some strange reason it felt no less intimate than if he had kissed her. He was asking about her past, asking about her. Taking an interest in her as a person in a way that no one else but Daniel had before.

"I used to sneak out of my home to go riding at night," She began after a moment's hesitation, keeping her head lying on his shoulder as he kept his gaze turned towards hers, their faces only inches apart, "My mother absolutely forbade it, but it was my way of rebelling against her control. One night my childhood horse stumbled on a fallen branch in the path we always took, throwing me off and breaking her leg," She smiled weakly, her eyes glazing over as she stopped focusing on him for a moment and got lost in the memory, "I cut my lip during the fall and my horse couldn't walk, so I ran home and begged my mother to come heal my horse. She transported us to the exact spot where it happened and I realized then that she had been watching me somehow. When I asked her to heal my horse she refused and said I must watch her put it out of it's misery...and for the cut on my lip, she healed it with a scar as a reminder of what happened when I disobeyed her."

"My god," A gentle frown creased David's forehead as he looked back at her. Not with pity, but as if he'd just grew to understand her slightly more. "How could she be so harsh?"

"I found out later that she had placed the fallen tree there," Regina added, a cold, numb expression masking her features, "It was gone when I returned back to the path where it happened the next day and it was far too big for someone to have moved in such a short period of time without magic."

"Forgive me for saying this, but I do hope she doesn't come to visit often," David let out a breath with a troubled frown that warmed her heart. Even if he didn't love her, he at least cared for her. Besides her father who she'd not seen since her wedding, David was the only person that seemed to truly care what happened to her. He was the only person in her life now that she felt she could depend on.

"Thank you," She simply said with a gentle honesty to her voice that caused him to turn his gaze back to her with a curious look.

"For what?"

"For being so kind to me."

David's heart broke in two at the sincerity in her expression and the vulnerability she openly displayed to him. Her soul had been tortured by someone as close to her as her own mother, her heart had been broken by the death of her fiance, and yet there was a pureness and an innocence still inside of her that allowed her to sit here and thank him for simply being kind to her. He'd been bitter for so long over Snow's death and it had been the only truly tragic thing that had happened to him in his life. Yet here a young woman years younger than him, who'd experienced multiple tragedies, was teaching him more about life than he had the wisdom to know.

He brought his right hand up, tracing her jaw line with his finger tips before threading his fingers over the side of her neck and into tresses of her dark hair. Regina brought her left hand up, sliding it over his right forearm and gripping it gently as he stared at her for a long moment. How had she worked her way into his mind in only six months when he'd been alone for five years without being tempted by anyone else? He watched her eyes turn darker, the warm brown color almost appearing black, her lips parting just slightly.

She felt like she couldn't breath as their gazes locked intensely, waiting for him to make the move. Her heart was beating wildly already and their lips had not even touched yet. There was no more thinking, only feeling. Feeling in a way that she never thought she would be able to again. His hand in her hair gently pulled her up closer to him as he lessened the distance between their bodies, keeping his gaze locked on hers until they were so close that their lips were touching and their eyes closed. His stubble grazed her chin when his full lips pressed against her own and held there for a long moment until a sigh escaped her lips at the sensation.

David relished in the sound of contentment that escaped her, bringing his free arm down to wrap around her waist as his other hand remained locked in her hair. She felt warm under his touch and the way she leaned into him chipped away at the walls inside of him. He tilted his head in the opposite direction and kissed her again, feeling both of her hands travel up to his collar to keep him in place. _It was there_. Something between them, it was definitely there, and he felt sure they both realized it now.

Still, despite what they felt pulling them closer to one another, there was something keeping them apart. Something they were both aware of for their own different reasons. He ended the kiss slowly but kept his forehead pressed against hers, their lips not even an inch apart in silent understanding, "I.." He began to explain himself, but he didn't have to before a soft voice whispered back to him.

"I know."


	6. Chapter 6

_thank you for the reviews! I'm going to try to update my other stories this week, but I want to keep up my momentum for this one. I have a lot planned! What are you all thinking so far? Thoughts on the characters? What would you like to see more of? let me know! xoxo_

* * *

Regina woke up to a dull ache in her head, the light from the window nearly blinding her when she opened her eyes. She wondered for a moment who had opened her curtains to let the morning light in until she heard Granny in the bathroom attached to her chamber and the sound of pouring water. The woman was always in her room in the mornings rustling around, getting her ready for the day and she appreciated her efforts.

Her mouth felt like cotton as she tried to swallow, sitting up slowly and pressing a hand over her face as the pounding in her head increased with the movement. She realized she was still in her gown and frowned that she hadn't even taken the time to undress and hang it up the night before. The memory of coming into her room last night was fuzzy at best and she vaguely remembered managing to get her shoes off before tossing herself on her bed.

She chuckled softly at the memory of she and David helping each other get up the grand staircase. They'd still been quite inebriated when they got home from Midas' ball and tried to sneak back into their home without alerting anyone. For how much they'd had to drink, they'd managed to be quite stealthy before David had ran into a candle holder on the wall, knocking it into the floor and causing Regina to erupt into a fit of laughter.

He'd then playfully scooped her up into his arms and attempted to take on the grand staircase until they both ended up stumbling on the landing between the first and second set of steps. Heat crept up her cheeks at the memory of how she had fell back against the wall and he landed up against her. His body had felt so right pressed up against her as his hand had gripped her hair, pulling her up to kiss him again.

The night slowly began to piece back together for her and all of the feelings came rushing back at once. Her night had been nearly perfect at the ball, besides that obnoxious woman who'd tried hitting on David in front of her. But even that had led to her mustering the courage to dance with her husband to get him away from Midas' daughter.

Then the carriage ride home when she'd allowed herself to be affectionate with him. They'd kissed so intimately it made her want to run and hide today at the thought. How was she going to face him with how complicated things had become between them? They'd both stopped the kiss in the carriage, knowing that they weren't ready. But the one on the landing was of a different nature, more needy and heated.

David had pressed his lips against hers with more force than before, gripping her hair with one hand and running a hand down over her side with his other. Embarrassment coursed through her, remembering the way she'd lifted her leg up his side and moaned into his mouth when she pressed up against him. She'd felt a heat in her abdomen that had never been there before, the wine and David's touch making her want to take it further until a guard had heard the noise and came up the steps, startling them both.

The guard had apologized until he was blue in the face before David dismissed him while he pulled Regina from against the wall. She'd felt the awkward tension between them at how caught up they'd both been. Her husband made quick work of escorting her up the second set of steps near her chambers before mumbling goodnight to her and turning to go to his own.

How was she supposed to face him? He'd all but ran away after they were interrupted and he realized what he was doing. He didn't want her, he was still in love with Snow. She shouldn't want him either, for Daniel had not even been gone a year. Guilt gnawed at her stomach, hating herself for how she'd let herself forget about Daniel last night. How she'd let herself have such a grand time and ended up in the arms of another man, like her fiancé hadn't lost his life because he loved her. She didn't deserve to be as happy as she'd been last night, not when Daniel would never feel anything again.

"You look like you had a good time at the ball," Granny said with a smug grin as she came out of the bathroom with her hands on her hips, seeing Regina sitting in the middle of the bed in her ball gown with bed hair and smudged makeup.

"I feel like I fell off of a horse last night," She groaned pressing a hand to her forehead.

"If you're like this I hate to see the shape the King is in," The older lady came over to her bed, motioning for Regina to scoot over towards the edge where she could reach her before beginning to undo the buttons on the back of her dress. "I drew you up a hot bath. Go have a soak and come down for breakfast, I laid out a gown for you on the chair."

"Thank you, Granny," Regina nodded as she turned, sliding off of the bed and stepping out of the dress when Granny reached down to pick it up, leaving her in her shift.

"You're welcome, girl," Granny smiled at Regina calling her Granny instead of Mrs. Lucas, turning to hang the gown up as Regina shuffled tiredly towards the bathroom.

* * *

David had looked everywhere for Emma after he'd managed to bathe and dress and feel someone normal. His hangover was lessening, but his stomach still felt queasy so he decided to skip breakfast and deal with his daughter instead.

He was trying not to think of what happened between he and Regina last night. He'd woken up aroused after dreaming of the stumble on the stairs the night before and had been trying to push it out of his mind ever since.

What a bastard he had been, leading Regina on the night before like either of them were ready for a relationship between them. He knew how much she craved companionship and he'd toyed with it, made her think they could have it, had her worked up and writhing on the landing of the castle only before rejecting her when they came to their senses.

Not to mention how he'd toyed with Regina, he also felt guilty about how quickly he pushed Snow to the back of his mind with the help of alcohol and the new, beautiful Queen on his arm. He was a disgrace. To his daughter, to his late wife, to his new wife, to the kingdom…

So now he found himself roaming the halls of his castle in search of his daughter. He'd at least try to make it right with one person, the one who needed him most. It was probably best if he and Regina keep their distance for a while, she deserved for him to leave her alone.

David came down the hall that led towards Snow chambers, having a feeling he'd find his teenager daughter in their as he often did when she was upset. There were so many memories in that room; their first time, Emma's birth, many nights of intimacy. It was hard for him to go in there, so he'd left the room alone, as it had been when Snow left them.

"May I come in?" He asked when he approached the door that was halfway open, seeing his daughter sitting in the middle of her mother's bed, looking through a box of Snow's belongings. She looked so much like her mother, except with David's hair and complexion.

"What do you want?" Emma asked though her voice lacked the bite it did when she was truly angry. She was more hurt than anything and he understood why. To her he hadn't cared enough that he upset her to go after her last night. It further proved her fear that Regina being in their lives would pull them apart.

"I think we should talk," David smiled weakly, pushing the door shut behind him as he entered Snow's chambers further and came to sit on the edge of the bed. Near Emma, but not close enough to impose on what she was looking at.

"There's nothing to talk about," She shrugged, avoiding looking at him as she picked up one of her mother's pendants and caressed it between her thumb and forefinger.

"I'm sorry I didn't speak to you last night when you were upset," David began, ignoring her protests as he watched her, "I'm not excusing what you did or said, but the reason you did it should have been addressed before I left and I didn't."

"I don't care anymore," She let out a breath, raising her gaze to look at him with a placid expression, "You have a new wife now and you want a new life, I get it. I don't fit into the picture."

"Emma, you never gave anybody a chance to include you in the picture," He frowned, shaking his head once, "Regina and I, we aren't in the place to be truly married right now, if ever. You don't need to feel that she's a threat to our family. I promise."

"So you don't like her in that way?" He saw the hope in his daughter's expression. He didn't want to tell her no and lie to her. He was attracted to Regina and did like her as a person; she was someone that if he was ever ready to move on, he could see himself moving on with. But right now was not the time for either of them and he didn't want to say yes and upset Emma over something that may never happen between he and the Queen.

"We both have much baggage that we have to work through before we could ever give our hearts to each other, I'm afraid," He bit his lip, "So for right now, can we all just focus on getting along?" He asked, running a hand over her head and down to her shoulder.

"I won't be mean to her anymore, if that's what you're asking me to do," Emma replied with a sigh and a roll of her eyes, "It's just you should hear what everyone is saying about her. The rumors are running rampant."

"Maybe you should get to know her yourself so the rumors don't affect you," David shrugged, pulling Emma under his arm and wrapping his around her shoulders. "No one can replace your mom, Emma, but it doesn't mean you're forgetting about her or losing her memory to move on with your life and have that close relationship you had with her with someone else. She wouldn't want you to be lonely."

"It's just hard," Emma gave him a nod and he sensed she truly understood what he was saying. Maybe even part of her already had considered that, but she just needed him to vocalize it and give her his approval. He hated that it had taken him this long.

"I know it is, Emma," He pressed his chin to her hair, "It's gonna be okay."

* * *

Regina sat alone at the breakfast table lost in her thoughts. The table was full of food, a feast more than a meal. It was as if perhaps Granny had tipped off the kitchen maids to cook extra today in celebration for what she thought would happen last night. She was sure the old lady was plotting to bring she and David together. While it was a nice enough notion, it was clearly wasted.

She had worried how her husband would act around her the next time they saw each other, but he didn't even show. Her stomach swirled at the thought of him avoiding her again like he had when she first moved here. He was her only friend, and now after a drunken night and being stupidly forward with him, she'd scared him off.

The longer she sat at the grand table alone and pushing her food around her plate, the angrier she got. His brat of a daughter had not even come down for breakfast. They were probably off somewhere together, not worried that she was sitting here like a fool by herself.

She was miserable, maybe even more so than when she had initially came here. For then she was stranger to everyone and knew nothing different of David. But now she'd seen a charming side to him that made her long for his presence and harder to ignore the urges he awakened in her.

Last night had shown her a glimpse of what life could be if both of them could let go of their past. She understood that neither of them were there yet, but she had hoped that what had happened wouldn't have ruined the progress they made, though it clearly had. It made her angry that he wouldn't even face her now.

Vulnerability wasn't something she let herself show often, but she'd allowed David to see that side of her last night. She'd thanked him for being kind to her; she'd told him stories of her childhood and about Daniel. The darkness inside of her swirled about, making her regret opening up. Where had it gotten her? _Nowhere but lonelier than she'd already been._

"I thought you were dead," Rumple's shrill voice made her jump as she reached for her wine glass, making her roll her eyes up at him with a tired glare.

"Go away."

"When you didn't show up for your lessons today, I'd assumed you'd went toes up," He sat across from her at the long table, throwing his hands up theatrically, "And yet, here you are."

"I'm not sure about these lessons anymore," Regina grit out. She felt the darkness inside of her growing desperate to get out and knew she had to put a tamper on it before it got out of control. "I don't want my future looking like...you."

"Feeling a little persecuted are we, your majesty?" The slimy Dark One stood and walked slowly down the side of the table.

"Why shouldn't I? I'm Queen, but practically a prisoner. With a husband whose heart is still with his dead wife…and his insipid daughter…it's intolerable," Regina clenched her fists, speaking out loud the thoughts that had been running through her head.

She stood, feeling like she was going to be sick at the thought of her current situation, "I have nothing to do and nowhere to go. I need freedom, I need options."

"Uh, can't be done," Rumple shrugged with a flick of his wrist, "You see, this is how it is. You think you are the diner at the feast, tasting the offerings. A little love…a little darkness. What you don't realize is you are the feast…and the darkness has tasted you.."

"You're vile," Regina grit out from between her teeth at him but he only smiled. "Leave my home!" She'd had enough of his smug attitude and hated how much he was inside of her head.

"The darkness likes how you taste, Deary," He gave a wiggle of his fingers, "It doesn't mind the bitter. And now that it's started the meal, it's going to finish it. You can no more run from your fate than that swan," He pointed to the bird in the middle of the table, "See you tomorrow. Don't be late. And oh, bring that simmering rage. It's all you have."

* * *

David was in his study, looking over the blueprints for the renovation plans of nearby villages. He'd been wrapped up in the project for about a month, starting after the night of the ball to give him something to focus on. It had given him reason to get out of the castle as well and avoid awkward run ins with his wife.

He and Emma were getting along better now and she'd often go with him to visit the nearby villages to greet the people and ensure the progress of the new housing. Leopold told him it was something he should be doing with Regina for the reputation of the kingdom, but David had been disregarding his opinion.

"I came in here to clean, boy. Didn't expect you to be home," Granny brought him from his thoughts, giving him a raised eyebrow over the rim of her glasses. _He about to get scolded for something_. She bustled into the room, setting down a small bucket and rag that were merely props for an excuse to come in here and talk to him.

"Just looking over some plans for the nearby villages," He nodded, "Sorry Granny, I can get out of your way."

"Oh you've been mighty good at that lately," The older lady began and he could tell she was very disapproving of whatever he'd been doing wrong.

"Spit it out, Granny. What are you mad at me for?" He let out a breath, dropping his pen into the ink holder and leaning back in his desk chair.

"Mad at you? Why would I be mad at you?" Granny looked at him mocking innocence as she put her hands on her hips, "It's not as if you've been absent from this castle for practically a month now, ignoring everyone but Emma and leaving your young wife alone for every meal…Oh, wait…"

"I've been busy," His jaw tensed at the accusation.

"What happened the night of that ball to make you ignore Regina like this?" Granny's brows drew down deeply as her lips turned into a frown. He could tell the older woman had come to care about his new wife.

"I don't know what you're talking about," He shrugged and heard her scoff audibly, "We went to the ball, nothing out of the ordinary happened. I've just been busy. We aren't a proper husband and wife, it's not my job to take care of her emotionally."

"Since when did you become such an ass?" The gray haired woman stared him down with disappointment rampant in her expression.

He grumbled, hating the fact that he knew he deserved to be called out. It wasn't that he meant to neglect his wife, but he didn't know how to act around her since they'd shared the connection they did the night of the ball. "I don't know, Granny…"

"Tell me what happened," The older woman's tone softened as she made her way over his desk but she still looked down at him firmly.

"Regina and I…we…we had a really good time the night of the ball…we shared conversation and a kiss in the carriage on the way home and another when we got here…" David frowned, looking down towards his desk, "Both of us knew though that we weren't ready for anything more…but I'd began to have feelings for her and it startled me…so I've been avoiding the situation."

"Typical man," Granny rolled her eyes with a huff, plopping down in the seat in front of his desk, "I'm worried about Regina."

"What do you mean? Why?" He glanced up from his desk at the older lady.

"She's thin as a rail, barely eats, stays in her room all of the time. I can tell she's sad and it's no wonder. Her parents haven't even visited, she has no friends here," She frowned worriedly, "The only time she leaves the castle she disappears into the woods, I'm not sure where she goes or who she is seeing but when she comes back she always seems to be angry and in turmoil."

"Does she speak to you about things?" David frowned to himself, biting his lip at the thought of Regina feeling so lost and lonely.

"No, son. When she does say anything its usually got a bitter or angry twist to it. She's changing; I'm seeing less and less of that sweet girl," Granny looked at him seriously, "She's fighting that same darkness you struggled with when Snow died. Difference was you had Emma, you had someone to live for. Regina doesn't."

"I just don't know that I'm ready to move on…" He looked at Granny honestly, "I'm worried that if I'm not and I follow my feelings for Regina that I'll end up messing it up. And what if she isn't done grieving over her fiancé?"

"You're putting your whole life on hold based on 'what ifs'," Granny shook her head, "I've seen the way you two are with each other, the way you look at each other. You don't have to be completely okay before you grow a relationship with her. You can help each other heal."

"You really think so?" He asked quietly, staring off into space as he processed her words.

"I think if you don't pursue what you have standing in front of you, you may miss out on your opportunity," Granny looked at him seriously, "There's a darkness threatening to consume Regina that makes me fear she'll never be the same if you wait too long."

* * *

Regina crept through rear entryway to the castle basement after coming back from her lesson with Rumple after dark. She closed the door behind her before quietly walking through the servant's kitchen and washroom, down the hall leading to the steps up to the main part of the castle.

She wore all black, dressing now more for her moods rather than what was expected of the queen to wear. Rumple's magic lessons were giving her more confidence to do what she felt like, still she did not want to have to answer any questions coming home at this hour. A servant girl appeared out of one of the rooms, her eyes widening at the sight of Regina in their quarters.

Regina merely narrowed her eyes at the girl into a warning glare to which she diverted her eyes quickly to her feet as she passed her. That pathetic mouse of a girl would never say anything about her, she felt sure. She knew because she used to be just like her. And girls like that were ruled by fear.

Her feet were aching as she made it to the top of the stairs, navigating her way down the corridors. It seemed as if everyone was in bed and she was relieved. She didn't see much of them anyways and she especially didn't want to see them now.

"Your majesty," A deep voice made her jump and turn quickly, seeing Leopold's tall frame behind her in the darkness. "Whatever are you doing coming home at this hour?"

Regina stumbled for her words, thoroughly thrown by his presence. "I lost track of time during my evening walk, that's all. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to retire for the night," She said before starting to turn for the grand staircase quickly, feeling a large hand grip her arm.

"A walk in the woods with the Dark One?" His eyes narrowed down at Regina and she glared back at him for the way he was handling her, trying to mask that she was truly frightened. "Do you really think I'm foolish enough to not have you followed when I notice you slipping out two times a week?"

"You've been having me watched?" She grit her teeth in anger, feeling more like a prisoner than she ever had. This bastard who had forced her into a loveless marriage was now treating her like a captive.

"Yes, and I don't know what kind of deal you've made with the Dark One but let me advise you they never end well," Leopold pulled her closer to him despite her resistance. He was much larger than she, making her feel helpless. She wanted to summon her magic, but she was still unsure of her control and it was worse when she was nervous. "What I do know is you've not been fulfilling your duties as Queen."

"Take that up with your dear King," She smiled fakely up at him and he tightened his grip on her wrist to the point that she tried not to outwardly wince.

"The people are beginning to have doubts in their King and Queen," Leopold glared at her, "I worked too hard for you two to run this kingdom into the ground. You will go to the King and you will consummate this marriage and you will produce an heir to show the people that the kingdom and the realm is secure."

"That's absurd," She hissed up at him, "I will do no such thing."

"You'll do it, or I'll tell your King that you've been making deals with the Dark One," He gave her a smug smile, "You'll be out on your ass with nowhere to go. God knows your mother won't take you back if you ruin everything she's done for you here."

"You're disgusting," She glared up at him, her heart beating wildly in her chest. There was no doubt in her mind he meant what he said that he would expose her dalliance in magic to David. "And I hate to disappoint you, but I'd rather be out on my ass then held prisoner here."

"I see, you're the type that has to learn the hard way," Leopold pushed her roughly back against the wall of the hallway and her eyes went wide. He was leaning over her with a menacing expression, bringing a hand up to grab her face, "How about this? If you don't go to the King, and trust me, your chamber maids will tell me when the deed is done, but if you refuse…I may just have to ensure that you produce an heir myself."

Her breath caught in her throat, turning her head as his eyes took a greedy assessment of her body. She felt his own breath near her neck and ear, "Get away from me," She whispered, her body tense and her voice shaky.

"I see we have an understanding," Leopold let go of her face with a caress of her jaw, making her skin crawl. She watched him turn and continue his way down the hall, feeling herself begin to tremble as her back slid down the wall and she sat in the floor, gasping in a deep breath once he was out of sight. He'd always unnerved her but she didn't realize what he was capable of, though she was fully aware now by the look in his eyes that he would do just as he said.


	7. Chapter 7

_thank you for the reviews! I love hearing your thoughts and rest assured that your wishes for Regina will materialize. Emma will redeem herself, as well and there will be SQ friendship, so stay tuned. In the show Emma is so protective of her parents, I felt that in this realm and at this age she would hate REgina to begin with because of her fierce protective nature over David. Leopold is a sleaze because I think he was one on the show, taking a child bride and practically imprisoning her and invading her privacy; so this doesn't seem far off from his character to me. Also, the angst won't last forever and between this chapter and the next, things will begin to change for David and Regina. Please review! I tend to update faster if I see you all are as into this story as I am into writing it xoxo_

* * *

Anger was eating her alive on the inside and magic seemed to be her only outlet. It had been two weeks since Leopold's threat and she was growing anxious on what to do. David was still avoiding her and she felt she had no opportunity to seduce him even if she'd planned to.

She was trapped. Being black mailed into giving herself to a man who had no interest in her. How was she supposed to sleep with David when he constantly rejected her? But what was the alternative? Her stomach turned at the thought of Leopold and the way he'd been eyeing her when they crossed paths in the halls.

Regina had stopped going down to the dining hall for meals all together now, for David was never there. It was either Leopold or on the odd occasion, Emma, and she did not have the patience to sit through a course with either one of them.

Granny brought food to her room and fussed at her to eat, but she had no appetite. All Regina wanted to do was run, but where would she go? How would she get there?

She contemplated this as she lifted a boulder with her magic, relishing in the feeling of release it gave her as she tossed it against another rock and watched it break into smaller pieces. Though she knew the basics of her magic, she did not feel it would be enough to protect her if she ran away.

Bitter hopelessness was all she felt. Grief and rage were chipping away at her soul and inviting extra space for the darkness to grow. No one loved her. No one cared if she lived or died. Of course, maybe her mother would, but that was only because she'd lose her status as mother of the Queen.

"Practice makes perfect," Rumple giggled when he watched Regina pick up another boulder with magic, "That's it, harness that anger…it's magnificent what it can help you achieve."

"Why are you always around?" Regina grit through her teeth when he appeared, slinging the boulder past him and into the woods behind him. The sound of the trees crunching under the weight of the rock soothed her. Destruction was relief.

"That's my job, Deary," He surveyed the strewn rocks she'd catapulted around the forest in her rage with a satisfied grin, "What's the matter? Are you still unhappy, Your Majesty?"

"I'm more than unhappy," She glared over at him knowing he was fully aware, "I need you to teach me more. I need a way out of this hell and I need to know everything about my magic and what I can do before I try to escape."

"Expedited lessons? Oh my," Rumple raised an eyebrow, "That's going to cost you."

"What do you want?"

"What do I want? Oh, it's more like what do you want," He approached her, grabbing her attention with his wicked grin, "What do you want most of all?"

"To be happy," She admitted, swallowing the lump of emotion that welled in her throat and trying to steel her expression.

"Wrong!" He pointed his finger in the air, "You want revenge. Revenge on that stupid girl for making you save her, revenge on the kingdom of idiots who gossip about you, revenge on your husband who won't even look at you, revenge on dear Leopold….revenge on your mother," His voice lifted at the mention of Cora.

"I don't care about revenge, I just want my freedom," Regina looked at him firmly. She felt him cooking up a plan, trying to harness her turmoil into something that would benefit him.

"Of course you do, Deary. You can run away from here, but what would you have? Nothing. You'd be a poor beggar, always on the run while the people who took everything from you live like royalty..er, _are_ royalty," He lifted a brow in amusement, "Your loving mother would live comfortably the rest of her miserable life even if you ran away. The woman who took everything from you and put you into this prison…Are you really telling me you don't want her to suffer?"

She stared at him for a long moment, willing herself to stay strong. There was a battle going on inside of her between her mind and the darkness she felt in her heart. Daniels' death and her seven months at the kingdom had taken it's toll on her mentally and it was a struggle to not go insane and throw caution to the wind.

"If I use my magic for revenge, I turn into my mother," Regina managed to reply after a moment, "I told you, I won't do that."

"It's darling that you think you could," Rumple flashed his rotten smile, "Soon enough you'll come running back to me and magic, begging me to teach you more when your husband rejects you once again and Leopold is trying to have his way with you."

"I want to learn magic, but I won't play into whatever little scheme you're plotting just so you'll teach me," She glared at him, "I'll figure this out on my own. Leave me alone."

"As you wish."

And then she was alone. In the forest with nothing but her deep seeded rage. Her only option now was to do as Leopold said and try to seduce the King. If she could simply manage to do it only once, it would secure her more time to research magic on her own. Rumple had given her a few books, how hard could it be?

Then once she felt secure enough in her abilities, she'd make a plan to escape here. Freedom was the only thing she wanted at this point, and she was prepared to do what it took to make that happen.

* * *

David lounged on the chaise in his room while mindlessly flipping through pages of a book. He'd retired early that night after coming home and finding the castle empty, but he couldn't seem to fall asleep when he'd tried. He felt restless, like he should be doing something about his situation but didn't know what. So he'd ended up kicking back with one of his favorite novels, trying to lose himself in fiction.

Emma was spending the night with one of her friends and had not been there to share dinner with him per their usual routine as of late. He and his daughter were growing closer and he was beginning to see the old Emma coming back to the surface. His daughter had been spunky and funny before she lost her identity in the catty royal society. He was glad she was coming back to him for he had missed his girl.

He hadn't seen anything of Regina but he'd been giving serious thought as to what he should do since Granny brought it up to him. He couldn't very well let the Queen deteriorate from loneliness and grief under his own roof. How struggled with how to approach her, though. She'd made herself scarce, living like a recluse in her own wing and making sure their paths never crossed.

When Snow White died he went to the dark place Regina was in. It was all a part of the grieving process and he understood it well. He didn't think that Regina being somewhere she didn't want to be helped her grief, either. He couldn't imagine if he'd had to deal with an unwanted marriage the same year he'd lost his wife. Losing someone was something you had to go through yourself before you fully understood the toll it took.

Regina had seemed so content the night of the ball, but he could tell she was simply compartmentalizing. He had learned to get through grief you had to meet every step of it head on. There had been a stage where he tried to snuff out the emotion down inside of him and simply get over it. The anger and sorrow had only festered in him and came out of him in other ways. Usually through drinking too much or being hateful to everyone who tried to help him.

He felt like Regina was in the worst of it right now with no light to guide her out. For him it had been Emma who made him want to get better. If he hadn't had a child to get better for, he wasn't sure he would have. Regina deserved the same kind of support, but he knew if he got close enough to comfort her in this way he'd fall for her. The thought of being in love again scared him. To let someone behind his walls with no guarantee that it would work out was truly terrifying. His heart had been through enough already.

David sighed, putting the bookmark into his page after failing at concentrating and stood, tossing it on the chaise he'd just rose from. He made his way over to his bed, stopping to pull his shirt over his head before reaching down to untie his pants.

"Need some help with that?" A familiar, warm voice from behind sent a jolt of adrenaline through him as he spun around quickly to make sure he wasn't hearing things. He hadn't even heard his bedroom door open and in his panic did not notice the faint remnants of purple smoke dissolving in the air from the Queen's transportation.

"Regina," He swallowed hard at the sight of her before him, daringly within reach and half naked. All she wore was a black corset that came down over mid hip with lace around the bottom edge to cover the apex of her thighs. She hadn't bothered with stockings, instead showing off smooth, toned olive legs. "What are you doing?"

"Couldn't sleep," She gave him a grin though he saw it didn't reach her eyes. Her gaze had an odd numbness to it and he could smell wine on her. He felt her hand reach out for the strings of his breeches and pull it undone. Shock gripped him but he quickly reached down to grab the edge of his shorts before they fell and exposed his member that was stirring to life.

"Is that so?" He looked down at her, studying her expression closely. _What had brought the sudden change over her?_ Whatever it was couldn't be good. He couldn't imagine the Regina he knew approaching him in this way when things were so confusing between them.

"Is somebody shy?" She gave him a toothy grin behind red lips before pushing him back, causing him to fall on the bed behind him. He swallowed a groan when he felt her climb on top of him, straddling his lap. Her thighs clamped over his sides and she sat on his groin in the most delicious manner.

"Regina," He managed to choke out, reaching down to grab her wrists, but instead she pushed his hands over his head and leaned down to kiss him.

"Shh...I know you want me," She whispered against his lips, biting down on his bottom one and tugging at it as she started to grind her hips on top of his own. He audibly groaned when his body responded to her taking control and grew stiff under the pressure of her bottom.

She felt so good on top of him, breasts spilling out of the corset, her nipples grazing his chest. He heard her moan as she rode his hips harder, pressing herself down on his erection and enjoying the friction his breeches provided for her. He could have pulled his wrists from her grip above his head but he kept allowing himself one more moment of pleasure, promising himself he'd stop before it went too far.

"I do, I just-" He began breathlessly but she kissed him again, slipping her tongue into his mouth and whimpering into it as she rolled her body against his. His thoughts were lost for a moment, enjoying the sensations of their skin on skin contact, the softness and friction he had sorely missed.

"I want you, David," Regina lifted her head to look down at him and he saw an honesty in her eyes behind the heated expression. He believed her when she said it, hell he wanted her just as badly. Images flooded his mind of what they could do to each other, ways he could make her scream. For a moment he could almost push the pesky confusion of what had suddenly prompted her behavior to the back of his mind.

All of his thoughts became fuzzy when she buried her face into his neck and rode him harder with a whimper. Her arousal had soaked through the thin cotton of his breeches and he felt it and responded with a loud groan. Something inside of him snapped and he pulled his hands from her grip, grasping her narrow waist and flipping her onto her back.

She looked up at him with surprised eyes before leaning up to press her lips to his in a bruising kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck, fingers threaded through his hair and nails scratched his scalp. Her body felt like heaven underneath his, her hips curling up into him in search of what she wanted, what he had no doubt that she wanted. Blood rushed to his groin, feeling himself throbbing at the thought of being inside of her.

He reached for the thin strip of lace between her legs, preparing to rip it off when he glanced up at her. Her hair was splayed behind her, breasts nearly fully out of her corset. Her lips were flushed from bruising kisses and her chest rose and fell quickly with her heightened breath. David could feel the wetness on his hand as he gripped the black lace that covered where he wanted to be most. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her, physically at least, for he felt the proof of that on his fingers. But something made him hesitate when his gaze met her eyes and found them troubled. She tried to mask it with a smirk when she noticed his hesitation, but he'd already clocked on.

She wanted this just as much as he did, but her pride would have kept her from coming here tonight. This was prompted by something else entirely. "Why the sudden change?" He asked her breathlessly, letting go of her panties and bringing his arms up near her head to hold himself up over her and force her to look at him.

"What are you talking about?" There was a frustrated twitch in her expression that he'd come to recognize meant she didn't want to discuss something.

"You coming here tonight, Regina," He said firmly as he stared down at her and she did everything she could to avoid his gaze, "We've been avoiding each other for a month now...What's brought this on?"

"Why do you care? I'm here, I'm willing," She replied breathlessly, running her hands up his arms and over his shoulders, "Why do we have to talk about it?" She looked up at him with beckoning eyes, though he could see the insecurity behind her expression.

"There's nothing I want more than to fuck you senseless right now," He grumbled under his breath as he hovered over her, his bottom half laying in between her thighs still, his hardness pressing into her, "You've got me painfully aroused right now, which pisses me off because I have a conscious and I can't fuck you when I know you came here with an ulterior motive. What game are you playing?"

"What game am I playing?" Her eyes grew wide and furious as she began to sit up, scooting herself up the bed and out from underneath him, "You know most married people do this, David! Is it such a wild idea that I would want you to touch me?!" She sniped at his accusation, hurling their marriage in his face like a barb. He knew she wasn't the type to be intimate with someone she wasn't in love with, so her reaction to him right now gave her away even more. She would not have come here on her own will with how troubled their relationship was and want to be in his bed.

"I do want to touch you! I want to do much more than touch you! I've tried to ignore it for months now," He snapped back, painfully hard and frustrated at himself for putting a stop to what they had been doing, even if it was the right thing to do. "You and I both know we aren't there yet, though. I also know you well enough to tell that you would not do this had something not prompted you!"

"You're impossible!" She yelled at him, scrambling towards the edge of his bed and he saw her beginning to get upset. She did her best to keep her back towards him so he could not see her face as she bent to pick up her robe and wrap it around herself.

"Regina, goddamn it," He cursed and scrambled after her when she began to flee, his feet hitting the floor with a thud, "Just talk to me!"

"Goodbye, David," She grit through her teeth with glossy eyes and a rage he'd never seen in her before. His mouth dropped a little when she disappeared with a flick of her wrists into a purple cloud of magic. There was something final about it her goodbye that worried him. Was she going to hurt herself? Was she going to leave? He stood breathless and bewildered, trying to process what had just happened.

* * *

Regina grimaced and hunkered down on her horse to try to gain speed, running her full force through the forest. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest and she was sure by the look on the guards faces when she'd torn out of the barn on her mare that Leopold and David were aware by now. She couldn't be there anymore, not after what she'd just done.

Her mother was right, she was unlovable. Rage and shame bubbled within her as she slapped Rocinante's reins against her neck to try to make her go faster. She needed away from all of it before she suffocated. She'd never be able to face David again after going to him in a desperate attempt to save her dignity being ripped away from her by Leopold, only to do it herself.

She'd done everything she imagined David may have liked and at one point even got into the moment. He was attractive and his hands had touched all of the right places, spurning her on in her haze of desperation and anger. It had almost happened, he'd almost lost control and ravaged her like she'd tried to get him to. But something had held him back, something was always holding him back.

Even offering herself up to him, heated and half naked had not been enough to make him disregard his wife's memory. Regina's cheeks burned as she recalled how she acted so brazenly, moving on him in a way that had come to her instinctively and felt good in the moment. She'd rather die than go back there and face him now that he'd seen her act like that. He'd even proven he did not trust her by accusing her of playing games in her seduction of him. Not to mention what Leopold had planned for her soon.

In her haste she'd transported herself back to her room after leaving David's and paced furiously until she knew that if she stayed in that castle one more minute she'd lose her mind. So she'd changed into the plainest riding clothes she could find and fled to the stables. She would have transported herself out of the kingdom with magic, but she wasn't sure how far she could summon herself to go yet and Rocinante was her only friend. If she was leaving, she was taking her with her.

"Come on, Rocinante! Go!" She pleaded with her horse, hunkering down closer to her neck, stealing glances behind her for fear of seeing the royal guards chasing her any minute. Adrenaline rushed through her as she saw the intersecting paths ahead that would lead her from the kingdom, "We're almost free!" She half laughed, half cried as her mare galloped towards their safety.

Suddenly she felt the sensation of someone gripping her arms, lifting her off of the horse and catapulting her into the air as Rocinante continued to gallop into the distance. She looked at her wrists to see tree limbs wrapping around them like serpents, a larger one wrapping around her waist multiple times and squeezing her. They held her in the air, causing her to gasp for breath.

"And here I thought we were done with all of this nonsense."

Regina's blood ran cold at the familiar voice coming from behind her, knowing instantly that her escape was foiled. Cora would never let her leave and she was a fool to think that just because she hadn't seen her since her wedding, didn't mean she wasn't still keeping tabs on her. "Hello mother. What evil have you conjured?"

"Not evil, Darling, a barrier spell," Cora replied after a chuckle that made Regina's jaw clench. Her mother was silent for a moment before she suddenly felt the tree limbs let go of her and she fell unceremoniously onto the ground, catching herself with her hands. She felt small gravels embed themselves in her palms but the pain felt like relief compared to the turmoil inside of her. "Designed to keep you where you belong."

Regina stood slowly, turning around to face her mother with a glare, "I can't leave?"

"Not alone, not without the King," Her mother replied with the smug expression on her face that she always had when she felt she'd put Regina in her place. "We've been through this...You're married, you are Queen. You're free to go, whenever you're with him."

She swallowed hard as desperation clawed at her insides and she once again disregarded her dignity, looking at her mother with pleading eyes, "Mama, I don't want to be Queen, I don't want this life."

"You're just afraid of your power."

"I don't want power! I want to be free," She begged Cora to understand. She was after all her mother, the woman who gave birth to her. The woman who was supposed to understand her more than anyone else in this realm.

"Power is freedom," Cora looked at her with a genuine smile that made Regina want to believe her. She wanted so desperately to have someone that cared about her and guided her in her best interests. She was past her breaking point and Cora knew better than anyone how to manipulate that. Still, she craved for her mother to take care of her, despite knowing deep down that she never would. "Don't worry, I'm here to guide you."


	8. Chapter 8

_aww you all are so nice in your reviews! I was going to update last night but the election had me stressed. Your kind comments make me feel much better and I'm glad I have this story to focus on and that there are people who enjoy it. please keep reviewing! xxx_

* * *

"Come Dear," Cora pulled Regina into her bed chambers, neither one of them aware that Granny was just in the adjoining room gathering the Queen's linens to wash. Somehow her mother knew her way around the castle though she'd only been there was. Knowing Cora, she probably had been watching the happenings of the castle for months now via some form of magic. Growing up, she had always been lingering or lurking, waiting for Regina to mess up so she could call her out on it.

"Now get out of those riding clothes, you're filthy," Cora's voice was tinged with disdain as she nudged a lethargic Regina towards the bed. She felt lifeless, like every movement took all of her strength. She'd been so close to freedom before it and every shred of hope she had was ripped form her.

When they'd entered the castle Leopold was sitting in the receiving room, rushing towards them with his best concerned expression and exclaiming that the whole castle was looking for Regina. Cora's fingers dug into her hold on Regina's upper arm deeper at the knowledge that her daughter's attempt at running away was noticed.

Luckily, David was out at the stables with his guards, getting ready to form a search party according to Leopold. He had motioned one of the guards inside to go and tell the others Regina was back and safe, but Cora had drug her up the steps before any of them came inside.

Regina felt numb as she looked down at her riding clothes and began to unfasten the buttons to get herself out of them, remembering the black corset she'd worn earlier tonight. The wine she'd drank before trying to seduce David was wearing off now and a headache was setting in. She felt on edge but completely placid at the same time; like she was drowning but too deprived of oxygen to try to come back to the surface.

Cora was rooting around in Regina's bedchamber, surveying the closet, jewelry box and the quality of the bed linens, "Look at all of this, Regina. You should feel so lucky you live this lifestyle," Her mother came back over towards her with a nightgown she'd pulled from it's hook on the wall.

"I hope you've shown your gratitude to the King for all he's done for you," Cora added and Regina would've scoffed if she'd had the energy or the emotion, but she just stared at her mother expressionlessly. There was no point to fighting her anymore.

"Should I be expecting a grandchild in the near future?" Her mother gave her a grin after nudging her to put her arms up and pulled the gown over her head. The question made her sick to her stomach. Children were another thing she'd long since given up on having. Along with love, freedom and her dignity.

Regina only looked at her mother blankly, still not answering. There was too much going on inside of her head and not enough energy to process it and reply accordingly. She saw Cora's eyebrows draw into a frown and her perfectly painted red lips press into an impatient line.

"Listen to me, my dear girl," She put a hand on Regina's arm and pushed her backwards until she sat on the bed and Cora leered over her. "You will go to the King and you will apologize for being foolish, and from now on, you will conduct yourself as a Queen should. Do you understand?"

There was a bite to her words that promised living hell if Regina did not do as she said. Still she felt nothing, she didn't care to reply to her mother. Her purpose here was to simply be a pretty object next to the King, her life a shell. Cora grew impatient as she waited for her to reply.

"Stupid girl," She muttered with thunderous eyes and Regina only looked at her, "I'll go apologize to him myself for your behavior. And the next time I see you, you had better present yourself so regally I don't recognize my ungrateful brat of a daughter in you."

Granny gripped the towel she held a little tighter as she stood in the doorway of the bathroom, watching Cora go out of Regina's chambers with a firm slam of the door. _Dreadful woman._

She watched as Regina's squared shoulders sagged when her mother left the room and she stared into space. The girl was pale, carrying a numb expression that Granny understood too well. She was past heartbroken, she was losing her will to fight. She'd seen David do the same thing after Snow White's death.

"I'm sorry, honey," She stepped out into view, coming into Regina's chamber, "I didn't meant to eavesdrop, I was just in the bathroom." Regina didn't even jump or startle, just lifted her head up to look at Granny. She watched her try to force a smile at her, but her eyes welled with tears and her bottom lip quivered.

"It's okay to cry, girl. Let it out," Granny approached the bed but Regina lifted a hand up to warn her to stop. She couldn't help but notice the bruising fingerprints on Regina's upper arm and her sympathy tripled for the young woman.

"No it isn't, I'm fine," Regina steeled her emotions and Granny could practically see the invisible wall the girl was building around herself. "You may go now."

She shook her head, letting out a deep breath at how absent the sweet and innocent Queen who'd first shown up at the castle seven months ago was. Granny worried if she'd ever be the same.

"Regina," The King entered the room without a knock, swinging open the door as his big frame stepped through it. He looked at her with an expression of relief when he took a few seconds to catch his breath.

"Call for me if you need anything, Your Majesty," Granny nodded with an adamant look at Regina who only bit her lip in reply. She glanced to the King who had only taken a few steps inside the door and was still looking to his Queen before excusing herself to leave the couple alone.

"Regina," David repeated as he came towards the bed, noticing the way she wouldn't look at him or make eye contact. Her shoulders squared and she turned her head to look towards the window at the darkness outside. "What happened? Talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about," She replied in a tone that eerily mimicked her mother. David had just spoken with Cora who reassured him that her daughter would _behave appropriately_ and he'd only half listened as he tried to get away from her to go speak with Regina.

"I understand why you ran," He took the liberty of sitting on the edge of her bed, reaching for one of her hand which she quickly retracted without looking at him and laid in her lap. He supposed he deserved it. "During my darkest times I would get the urge to run away from it all. But that won't solve anything."

He watched the Queen who still had her face turned away from him slightly scoff and clench her jaw. She was angry, she was battling the darkness, and he'd neglected her for too long. "I'm sorry I haven't been here for you like I should have. I'm sorry I haven't been your partner in this."

"It's not your job to babysit me," Regina gave a shrug and crossed her arms before looking at him with a disinterested expression, "Honestly, you don't have to feel guilty. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. I'm not some charity project you have to fix."

At least she was biting back now instead of ignoring him. It meant she still cared. "I never said I wanted to fix you. Hell, I can't even fix myself," David reached out to rest a hand on her knee that she surprisingly didn't push away, "I'm sorry for earlier. I just want to understand what's going inside that head of yours before we make any big steps like that…" He looked at her pleadingly, praying she'd understand.

"We're not in a real marriage, we don't love each other," She stared at him blankly, "I get it. I don't expect anything from you, David. And I'm not a child, I'm old enough to decide if and when I want to sleep with someone."

"And that's the only reason you came to me tonight? Because you wanted to?" He stared her down, holding her gaze to let her know he wasn't going to let her skirt around the subject again.

She eyed him for a long moment, wheels turning as she tried to determine whether or not she should tell him about Leopold. He probably wouldn't believe her and even if he did, what good would it do? She'd already tried to run away, she didn't need to split up a family. "Yes. I made the mistake of thinking you may have wanted to as well. Now can we drop this subject so I can retain at least a shred of my dignity?"

"I'm sorry," David decided not to press her any further, biting down on his bottom lip as he contemplated her mood, "What would you say if…if we made a deal to get to know each other better? Make a real effort…"

"I don't want your attention because you pity me," She laughed bitterly, lifting her chin up. Her face was inevitably flushed, the memories of his rejection earlier haunting her, but she tried desperately not to show how humiliated she felt.

"Regina, I haven't been there for you lately because I knew if I was, there's a good chance I would fall for you rather quickly and I didn't know if I was ready for that," He admitted, watching her eyes shift to her lap momentarily before looking back at him. "I'm saying now, that if you have any interest in it at all, I say we try. What do you think?"

"I think I don't trust you," Regina gave him a frown, "You said months ago that if nothing else we should at least be friends, yet I've seen nothing of you," She smiled bitterly and gave a roll of her eyes.

"I know, that was unfair of me," David pressed his hand against the bed to lean on it as he glanced down, "I really am sorry, there was just a lot that I had to work out for myself…but I hope you'll give me another chance."

She looked at him and felt her resolve lessening the more he spoke. Her mother manipulated her loneliness to bend her to her will and she hoped David was not trying to do the same. Still, she was wary of everyone at this point and she'd learned her lesson with believing people would do what they claimed they would.

"Let me make it up to you," He looked at her sincerely one last time before he stood from her bed. He could tell she had had all she could take in one day's time and needed to be alone. She stiffened when he brought a hand to the side of her head, cupping it lightly as he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead in a gentle kiss. "Goodnight."

She didn't answer, just looked up at him with a troubled expression when he pulled away. He knew there were a million thoughts running through her anxious mind and that she needed space. He gave her one last glance when he opened her bedroom door to leave, seeing her staring off into space again. Granny was right, he'd waited too long to be there for her for his own selfish reasons. Regina needed someone to care for her; a reason to carry on. He hoped it wasn't too late.

* * *

"You're still here?" David tried not to frown as he walked into the dining hall, seeing Cora at the table with Emma having breakfast the next day. He'd smelled the breakfast from the second story and had been looking rather forward to it until he realized who it would be shared with.

"Yes, thank you for extending the offer for me to stay last night," Cora gave him a sweet smile that made his skin crawl. Though he only knew one or two stories about this woman from Regina, he knew she'd made his wife's life hell.

"It was late, I couldn't have you going back at that hour," David gave a nod, trying not to seem over welcoming as he sat down. He certainly didn't want Cora to think she was welcome here anytime. That was up for Regina to decide how much she wanted her mother around.

"Emma was just telling me she is taking riding lessons," Cora smiled with a false politeness as she looked at the girl, "And I was just getting ready to tell her that her step-mother enjoys horseback riding as well."

Emma's eyes flitted up from her plate with an evident pang of annoyance at the term Cora used before looking to David who pressed his lips into a firm line in warning to be polite. He could tell his daughter was not impressed by her step-grandmother and for once he couldn't blame her for her opposition.

"Of course, Regina was never disciplined enough to become a truly great rider. She always found herself getting…distracted when it came to the stables," Cora added with an edge to her voice that reminded David of her evil deed in crushing Daniel's heart in front of Regina. His blood started to boil at the nerve of the woman to invite herself into his wife's home so casually after what she'd done.

"Good morning," Regina announced her presence at the other end of the table as she approached it, taking a seat opposite David. He could tell by the square of her shoulder's she was irritated by her mother still being there and had probably even heard her comment.

"Good morning, Dear," Cora looked up to her daughter with the same falsely adoring smile she'd given Emma just a moment ago. _This woman was a snake._ "It's about time you graced us with your presence."

"Good morning, Regina," David ignored Cora, making Regina look at him and giving her a genuine smile in an attempt to make her feel secure. It seemed to work somewhat, seeing a small smile returned to him in her acknowledgement of the gesture.

"Here you are, Your Majesty," Granny came bustling out of the serving kitchen with a steaming plate for his wife. It warmed him to see that Regina had at least one woman who cared for her like Granny did. He watched as Regina glanced up at Granny with an almost apologetic smile when the older lady sat the plate in front of her on the table.

"Thank you," His wife said in a low voice to which Granny responded by putting a hand on his wife's shoulder that suggested she needn't be sorry. He didn't know what happened between them, perhaps Regina had been short with her the night before. Whatever it was didn't seem to bother the older woman.

"Eat up now, girl," Granny fussed, pouring Regina a goblet of juice to go with her breakfast, "You're skin and bones. You need fattening up," She added, making David chuckle.

"I do have to say, this place has done wonders for Regina's figure," Cora piped in then, putting a damper on the motherly exchange she no doubt witnessed going on between Granny and Regina, "I'm sorry, dear. But you know you've always been a little thick around the hips," She chuckled and flashed a playful smile at Emma and David to make it seem like it was all in good humor.

He took a deep breath at the jab, looking up at Regina who diverted her gaze down to her plate with a half-hearted smile to hide her embarrassment. "I think she's perfect," He stated plainly, throwing a pointed look to Cora who visibly shrank back in her chair at a glare from the King.

When he looked back at his wife with a gentle gaze he found her lips were parted slightly in a pleasant surprise at him. She appreciated such simple gestures that it angered him to think what she'd been put through to make her expect so little from those who should care about her. David knew he'd never let himself fail to give her anything but the best again, "Now if you're done being petulant Cora, my family would like to enjoy breakfast."

His mother in law's jaw nearly hit the table on its way to the floor and he heard Emma snicker under her breath. He'd never correct her for it when it came to Cora either. They all waited for a comeback from Cora, a hateful wrath of some sort. Instead she suppressed her glare and picked her fork back up, leaving David to smile smugly at the Queen who returned a grin from ear to ear.

* * *

Regina felt relieved when her mother finally left, but the heaviness of depression still weighed her down on her. Though she was quietly relishing in the fact her husband took her mother down a few pegs during breakfast like nothing she'd ever seen before. A wicked smile graced her lips as she replayed the scene in her head on her way to the stables to see if Rocinante had found her way back home yet.

She no longer felt as numb as she was the night before, though she didn't know if it was worse to feel too much or nothing at all. As much as she tried to suppress her emotions, they coiled inside of her and threatened to come out. She tried to be cold and distant, but she failed with people like Granny who showed her genuine kindness. The light and darkness inside her were in constant battle and it was sending her moods haywire.

With each passing day the darkness grew. It brought up old memories of Daniel, of her mother's abuse, of her father's cowardice, of Leopold's threat, of David's rejection. Her heart was full of anger but ached for love at the same time. There was a constant twisting and turning in her gut; the anger making her want to do something about her situation and the feeling that she was trapped making her anxiety skyrocket.

David had claimed he was going to make an effort, but she didn't believe him. Not yet. He was still in love with Snow, otherwise when she'd been in his bed the other night they would have consummated their marriage without hesitation. When they'd left breakfast this morning he'd even been called out by one of his councilman to attend to an issue involving the kingdom and she assumed that he would go back to busying himself with things outside of the castle. He meant well, at least.

As she made her way into the stables she heard activity on the inside, taking a deep breath when she came close enough to hear Emma's voice talking in a soft tone. When she came into the stable's enough to see her, all thoughts of her step-daughter was forgotten as she found the horse Emma was groomed was hers.

"Rocinante!" Regina said with a smile as she quickly approached the horse and pressed her forehead against her muzzle, "Good girl."

"This is your horse?" Emma asked, causing Regina to lift her head and remember that they weren't alone. "I came to go for a ride and found her waiting near the stables. She was a little muddy and her hair was tangled so I…" The blonde didn't finish her sentence, just shrugged towards the mare's finely brushed coat.

"Thank you," Regina found herself saying to the girl she had envisioned falling off a horse to her death multiple times. _Irony really was a bitch sometimes._

"You're welcome," Emma replied as Regina made over Rocinante, cupping her muzzle in her hands and kissing her nose, not noticing the girl watching her curiously, "So your mom...has she always been like that?"

Regina was surprised at Emma attempting conversation with her but she lifted her head to reply anyways, "Yes, that's Cora," She pressed her lips together with a frown, "I'm sorry if she said anything to offend you." _There she goes, apologizing to the little twit again._

 _"_ No, she was too busy insulting you," Emma raised an eyebrow as she turned to run the brush over Rocinante's side again, "My mother would've never said anything like that to me."

She glanced over the mares muzzle at Emma, watching her using the hand brush, "I've gathered your mother was very loved. She must've been a good person," Regina inquired gently. Although it was different circumstances, she understood how it felt to long for a mother.

"The best," Emma smiled weakly, keeping her gaze focused on the horse and her hands busy while Regina stood near the mares head, lazily stroking her. She had to admit it was nice to see this side of the girl after bickering with her for months. "The castle used to be full of fun and laughter when she was around."

"So I've heard," Regina nodded slowly, "I know your father misses her terribly."

Emma glanced towards Regina at the mention of her father, "He likes you, you know."

"He doesn't, he's just being nice to me is all. He's good man, but you have nothing to worry about," She reassured the girl, hoping to build at least one ally here with her.

"I mean it," She let out a breath as if she didn't want to admit it, "I've seen a change in him. He's not as grumpy, he actually speaks to me now. And while you two were avoiding each other he got grumpy again."

Regina tried to stamp out the ember of hope that flamed up in her chest at Emma's words, "Thank you, but I don't think that has to do with me."

Emma rolled her eyes, "I'm not trying to trick you or anything. I just hope you like him too because he doesn't open up very often and I don't want to see him get hurt."

"I would never intentionally hurt David," She reassured her with a frown.

"You better not," Emma leveled with her seriously, making irritation spike in Regina at the insinuated threat before the blonde let out a laugh. "Wanna go for a ride?"

Regina raised an eyebrow when she caught on that the girl was only joking, "I was already going on a ride, I suppose you could join me."

"All right," Emma turned to put the brush down and make her way over to her horses stall, "But this doesn't make us best friends or anything."

She caught the hint of playfulness in Emma's tone before replying with her own, "Never."


	9. Chapter 9

_because you're such good reviewers, heres a longer update for you :) honestly though, your reviews make my day when i read them at work and make me want to come home and update! especially the 'marry me' one, it made me laugh out loud. and don't worry, regina and david won't have to fake their consummation...did i mention that this story will most likely turn M soon? hahahaha...and i may have snuck in just a tiny bit of romance that you all requested. read and review, babies. i like this chapter and i wanna know if you did too xxx_

* * *

A month or so had passed since her breaking point the night she tried to leave and Regina's heart was not healed, but she was considerably less lonely. David had made good on his promise to be there for her and she really felt she had a friend in him. Emma was being kinder as well and the three of them had even started having meals together regularly like the dysfunctional little family they were.

However, today David had been preoccupied with something in the tower above her wing of the castle. She'd seen a carriage approach the castle earlier that morning from her perch in her window and like the nosy woman she was she had watched in an attempt to figure out who or what it came with it. Her husband had quickly met the carriage driver and recruited a couple of guards to help him grab the boxes from the carriage and retreat back into the castle. _Nothing exciting._

She was curious as to what he was doing, probably something for his plans for the kingdom. He was a good leader and spent a lot of his time ensuring the people under his watch had what they needed. She couldn't fault him for that, but a selfish little part of her was jealous at how much time she devoted to them.

Their relationship had not progressed romantically since their quick romp the night she'd tried to run away. A tension lingered between them and she knew both of them felt it, though she did not want to be the one who acted first. There was flirting, even light caresses sometimes as they tested the waters with each other, playing on the fine line between friends and lovers.

She heard a thud above her head from the upstairs, frowning to herself and closing the book that she'd held in an attempt to read but ending up daydreaming instead. _What in gods name was he up to?_

Curiosity got the best of her as she untucked her stiff legs from underneath her relaxed position at the window seat and stood, stretching her petite frame. She was bored, and whatever business David was up to with the kingdom was her business too. _She was the queen, after all,_ she mused to herself as she studied her appearance in the mirror.

Despite her mother's criticism she had been missing less meals and her figure had filled out into feminine curves again, though her stomach stayed slim and narrow. She found David put his hands around her waist and on the small of her back every moment she could, seemingly appreciative of her shape that she'd once been so self conscious of. Something had changed in her since the night they had almost had sex; she felt like a woman instead of a girl.

Cora had always raised her to believe that sex was simply a wife's duty and that to act in such a wanton nature was unbecoming of a lady. She'd also imprinted into Regina that outwardly seeking or showing affection was weakness. Regina had repressed her sexuality for so many years she often felt awkward when David reached for her hand or wrapped an arm around her waist for a brief moment.

Sometimes she still found herself being distant with him. They'd have their good days where she'd allow him to charm her and she'd give it back to him, but some days she had trouble letting down the wall. She supposed they were both like that, especially when either one of them felt moody. They were reaching the point in their relationship that they were so close to crossing the threshold into something romantic that they were cautious around each other when it came to moods or speaking their minds.

Granny had even made Regina blanch one morning with a comment about how the two of them needed to fight or make love before they drove each other crazy. They'd both been in sour moods that morning and breakfast had been tense, both of them wanting to snip at each other for silly things but not quite knowing how to approach each other. Their relationship was so fragile and new that they weren't sure how to navigate it sometimes.

She sighed, deciding to go find out what her husband was ignoring her for and making her way out of her bed chamber. She grabbed a shawl to wrap around her shoulders from the bed post at the chill in the air. The weather was growing cold with the onset of winter and December just a week away. It was growing too nasty outside for riding, hence her being holed up in her room and growing restless without the company of Rocinante or David.

Making her way down the chilly corridor, Regina wrapped the shawl tighter and entertained herself with possibilities of what David was up to. He'd been working hard at rebuilding some of a nearby village that had been effected by severe weather. Maybe that was it. Or possibly a new defense plan in preparation for the whisperings of a revolt happening in George's kingdom.

During her pandering down the hall, she couldn't help but notice at the door to Snow's chamber being cracked ever so slightly. It distracted her for a moment and she felt temptation bubbling within her to go inside. The room was considered a sacred one in the house; she'd noticed Emma in there a few times on her was past it, though she'd pretended she hadn't. She knew Emma would prefer it that way as it seemed to be a private area for her.

Still, she found herself glancing in both directions before gravitating towards the door, slipping inside and wincing at the slight creak the door gave when she opened it just enough. It was a beautiful room, with dark wood furniture and white bed dressings and curtains, much like her own room. She felt like an invader, her heartbeat increasing slightly at the thought of getting caught snooping.

Regina couldn't stop herself, though. She had so many questions about the woman who undoubtedly still held her husbands heart. For her to still have this kind of hold over him after nearly six years said a lot about her character and their love. It made her heart ache with longing to have a connection like that with someone again. She'd loved Daniel, but to have what David and Snow seemed to take years of being together and the time to learn each other inside out, which she was never afforded with her fiancé.

She wandered around the room slowly, taking in every detail. The woman's jewelry was still laying on the dresser like she had just taken it off the day before, yet it was all dust free, as if the maids still came in here and kept the room pristine. Her fingertips glided over some of the jewels before picking up a framed portrait of David's former wife. She was beautiful; a heart shaped face that reminded her much of Emma's, but with raven hair and a porcelain complexion.

Regina wondered if David would ever be able to love her like he did the woman whose portrait she held in her hand. She bit her lip with the niggling feeling that she'd always be second best. Her self esteem never allowed her to expect anything more, for there was nothing special about her. Sure, her looks turned quite a few of the guards heads, but did they care about who she was? Did they imagine anything else than having her in bed? No.

"Trying to study up on your competition?" A shrill voice made her jump and set the frame down quickly, the realization of who it was sending a pang of irritation through her.

"You shouldn't be here," She grumbled with a glance towards Rumple who stood leaning against the bed post.

"Neither should you, Deary."

"Why are you here?"

"You've been skipping your lessons lately. What's the matter? Are you actually believing that your husband is paying attention to you out of anything more than pity?"

Regina turned around with a huff, crossing her arms over the ends of her shawl at her chest, "Why do you care?"

"Because as we discussed, I am teaching you magic and you are going to do something for me in the future," Rumple reminded her with a certain amount of annoyance in his tone, "Or have you forgotten our deal? Have you lost interest in magic now?"

"Of course not, I just," She sighed with a frown, "I only wanted to learn how to control my magic and now that I can do that…I don't want to partake in whatever evil plot you're creating."

"So sad to see you losing your fire so you can play happy housewife to a man who is in love with a corpse," He replied with a mocking smile, "I'm assuming Leopold hasn't gotten a piece of the queen yet, hm?"

"You're disgusting," She hissed at him, stepping forward with a glare.

"And you're not living up to your full potential," He matched her angry expression, uncharacteristically showing how frustrated he was with her, "You could be great, Deary, _magnificent_. You could be a legend. So much power and no idea what to do with it. All because you're scared of the darkness inside of you. If only you realized that's all you have and what all it could give you."

"Why do you want me to delve into dark magic so badly? What's in it for you?" Regina rolled her eyes, knowing he was only trying to entice her with the idea of power. She'd tried running already and it got her nowhere.

"I don't think I trust you enough to tell you now," Rumple gave a flamboyant flick of his wrist, "Will you be attending your lesson tomorrow?"

"I don't know," She lifted her head in defiance, knowing since she hadn't seen David today he would most likely plan to spend some time with her tomorrow. It was as if Rumple read her mind.

"Oh Deary," He smiled but his eyes were filled with rage, "How pathetic you are wasting your talents and pining away for a man who will break your heart once your pretty, thick skull realizes he will never love you like he did her," His grimy finger pointed towards Snow's portrait before vanishing into thin air.

She hated the man. Hated him for introducing her to the power of magic. Hated him for liking it so much. Hated him for always showing up in her moments of weakness to try to bend her to his will. Hated that he always seemed to know the insecurities that ran through her mind and used them to stir the darkness inside of her.

Regina had been trying so hard to stay positive and make the best of her situation. Her relationship with David was confusing but getting better. Her friendship with Emma was blossoming. It wasn't the life she chose, but she was here and trying desperately not to sink back into the darkness that nipped at her heels. She didn't need to be around Rumple who constantly tried to manipulate her and pull her into dark magic.

She realized her surroundings and decided she should slip out before anyone noticed, peeking out the door before stepping out and closing it but leaving it cracked like it was. Her emotions were all over the place so instead of inviting herself into whatever David was up to, she went back towards her bed chambers with swift steps. She'd catch up with him later, but right now she needed to be alone.

* * *

"Where's Regina?" Emma asked Granny, trying to seem disinterested as she did so when she entered the kitchen. Granny looked up at the girl from over her glasses and gave a smirk. She could tell the Princess had grown fond of the new Queen, as much as she'd rather die than admit it.

"In her bed chamber, why?"

"She missed lunch."

"I know, I sent one of the maids to fetch her for lunch, but she said she wasn't hungry," Granny sighed, flipping over the dough she was kneading for dinner. "You know she can be a bit reclusive sometimes. Why don't you take her something to eat?" She nodded towards the stove where the remainder of what was left from the lunch buffet was. It hadn't been a formal lunch since David had been busy and Granny smiled at the thought of what the King had been up to.

"If you insist," Emma said with a sigh as if Granny was forcing her to, making her chuckle.

"You like her, just admit it," Granny didn't turn to look at the girl but she knew she was undoubtedly giving her signature eye roll.

"She's not as bad as I thought she was," Emma admitted, scooping out some of the soup for Regina after noticing it was the tomato bisque she'd seen the Queen go for on multiple occasions.

"Mhm," Granny hummed in agreement with a smirk on her face, knowing Emma's approval of Regina was a little deeper than that. "I bet it's nice having another woman near your age around."

"I guess," Emma shrugged as she came back over to the kitchen island where Granny worked, setting Regina's bowl and utensils onto a serving tray. She and Regina got along rather well now, though neither one of them were going to freely admit it.

"Go on, Princess," The older lady raised an eyebrow at Emma who looked at her as if she were trying to make Granny understand that taking Regina's food to her was not in any way a kind gesture. _Nice try._

Emma sighed and rolled her eyes with a hint of a grin at Granny's incessant stare before picking up the tray and leaving the kitchen. She carefully made her way through the main part of the castle and up the grand staircase, her arms aching from holding the tray so tightly to not spill it by the time she reached Regina's wing.

None too gracefully, she managed to get the tray onto one arm before lightly tapping on Regina's door and hearing a faint 'come in' before turning the latch and opening it.

"Hey, I brought you some food," Emma stated as she stepped in, seeing the Queen sitting in the middle of her bed writing in her journal. "You busy?"

"No, come in," Regina gave her a kind smile and closed her writing, setting the journal on the nightstand beside her. "That was thoughtful of you."

"Granny made me," Emma shrugged with a raise of her brow and a bit of a grin, bringing the tray over and setting it beside Regina on the bed.

"Mhm, sit," She nodded towards the edge of her bed, reaching for one of the crackers on the tray with a smile. Emma had been finding more and more reasons to come see her in the past month after their day of riding. There was a point when the sight of the blonde turned Regina's stomach, but now she oddly looked forward to it.

"What's up with you? Why didn't you come down for lunch?" Emma peered up at Regina, sensing that the Queen was not in the best of moods.

"I guess I just wasn't in the mood to be social," Regina let out a breath, leaning back against her headboards as she took the bowl into her hands when her stomach growled, "Don't you get tired of constantly having to be around people in this castle? The guards, the maids. It's like you never have a moment alone." She didn't mention Rumple's visit, but it was to the same effect. He never ceased to be around and it was part of her bad mood.

"Do I?" Emma let out a breath, "Mom always said it was part of being royalty. No one had the privilege that we did and it was part of the package. But Dad on the other hand.." She grinned, "You know how grumpy he gets when people bother him incessantly."

Regina grinned from behind her spoon at the mention of David, knowing exactly what Emma meant, "And he gets that little crease in his brow when he pouts."

"Exactly," Emma let out a laugh, "He's a good King, but he wasn't cut out to be in the public eye."

"Neither was I," She responded before spooning another bit of soup into her mouth.

Emma studied the expression on Regina's face, seeing the hint of frustration in her comment, "You really didn't want this kind of life, did you?"

"No," Regina replied quickly before looking up at her. She didn't want to seem too eager to put down the lifestyle that the princess led, but she felt the urge to share who she really was with the girl for some odd reason. "I would have been perfectly fine marrying a stable boy…"

"But your mom had other plans for you," Emma suggested with a knowing glance. "That's what I hate about being born a princess. There's so much I want to do, but none of it would be considered proper."

"Like what?" Regina tilted her head to the side in interest as she glanced up at the girl.

"Like be a knight," She admitted before glancing down a little embarrassed, "I don't know…something like that. Someone who fights for justice and does more than wear a pretty dress."

Regina was a bit surprised by the girl's confession. She hadn't expected Emma to be someone who would want to do something out of the ordinary like that, but she admired it. Her stepdaughter was actually starting to make more sense to her now, for she struggled with being someone she didn't feel was herself, just like Regina had.

"I think that's very noble," She smiled genuinely at Emma, "Most aren't that brave."

"My mother just had such a good sense of right and wrong…yet because she was the Queen she was forced to only standby and look pretty while my dad led armies and got the glory in everyone else's eyes," Emma frowned with a shrug of her shoulders, leaning more to the side on her elbow, "I want to honor her in that way. To do something that I know she would've had she been given the chance."

"That's beautiful," Regina nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. If she ever had children, she hoped they looked up to her in the way that Emma looked up to Snow. If anything was a testament to the late Queen's character, it was her daughter.

"But enough about me, what did you want to do when you grew up?" Emma asked, propping her head up on her hand. She was surprised by how natural it felt to be in Regina's chamber, laying on her bed and talking casually like they were old friends. She supposed they'd been horrible enough to each other in the beginning to surpass any worries of being too forward now.

"Me? I don't know," Regina gave a shrug and a sad smile. "It sounds very old fashioned and foolish, but I guess I always kind of wanted to have a family."

"Is that still what you want?" Emma asked genuinely, no traces of judgement or disapproval. She imagined how she'd feel if her father and Regina would ever have a their own child in the future and surprisingly she had no strong urges against it.

"I.…" Regina stumbled on her words, not knowing how to respond to her stepdaughter, "I've sort of given up on that dream, given how my life turned out."

"I don't think you should," The younger blonde said earnestly, "If it's meant to be it will happen."

Regina's mouth opened but she didn't speak for a moment, deciding instead to lighten the conversation, "You've been listening to Granny rattle on too much," She grinned, making her stepdaughter give a laugh at the snarky humor they both appreciated.

* * *

Regina was angry. She was probably overreacting, but she felt it with every fiber of her being. Two days had went by without seeing David and she was restless and bored and pissed off that he had not stayed true to his word.

He'd been in and out of the castle and when he was home, he was up in the godforsaken tower doing god knows what. She'd told him more than once it wasn't his place to be there for her, but he promised he would be. She'd actually began to think that he cared about her and was making an effort to sort out their sham of a marriage.

Apparently she was wrong and she was angrier at herself more than anyone to think he'd actually follow through. She felt like a stupid girl with her first crush, waiting for days for him to remember her existence and give her an ounce of attention. Maybe Rumple had been right, he'd never truly care about her. And to think she'd missed her magic lessons for this.

She paced the halls on the bottom floor, trying to decide what she was going to do next. Normally, she would have went riding to clear her head, but it was a particularly dreary and cold day and it was dangerous to go out in elements like this and catch a cough at this time of the year. She was almost past the point of caring, though.

Part of her wanted to storm upstairs and confront him about it. The other part of her wanted to summon Rumple and channel her anger to learn all of the dark magic her shady little heart desired. She hated her temper and the urges it gave her sometimes. Just another thing that pissed her off; being pissed off at how pissed off and irrational she got when she was pissed off.

She'd worry about that tomorrow. Right now she was going to get to the bottom of this. She was sick of she and David dancing around truly expressing their feelings towards one another. If one of them were angry, they should let each other know. They were probably the only married couple in the realm who struggled with not knowing how to yell at each other.

Her magic buzzed on her fingertips with her heightened emotional state and she flicked her wrist to transport herself to the third floor hall that led to the staircase to the tower. Her control over her temper was long gone by the time she appeared where she wanted to be and she knew this would be a show. But she wasn't scared of David, she was fed up with him. And she was going to let him know.

Luckily he was right in front of her when she appeared in the hall, looking up with a startle and nearly jumping out of his skin when a figure appeared out of purple smoke.

"Regina! You scared the living shit out of me," He stumbled for words with wide eyes.

"What's this? No _hi, Regina, long time no see? How have you been?_ " She snapped at him sarcastically, crossing her arms, "Are you avoiding me again?"

"What?" David looked at her with a bewildered expression, not knowing where all of the anger was coming from. Sure, he'd been distracted the past couple of days but he hadn't any idea it effected her this much.

"If you didn't want to spend time with me you could've just said so," Regina said in a harsh tone, laying all of her insecurities out in front of him but trying to keep up a front like she wasn't hurt by it, "If you've changed your mind about making an effort for our marriage then don't be a coward and just say it."

"Regina, Jesus," He shook his head in shock at her sudden outburst, glancing back towards the staircase leading to the tower in a distracted manner.

"What is so important up there that you can't talk to me for five minutes?!" Her eyes widened at his seeming lack of interest. "You know what? Forget it. I was a fool to think you'd actually hold true to your word."

"For god sake, woman," David grabbed her by her upper arm when she turned to storm off, causing her to turn back to him, "Will you calm down for a damn minute?" He frowned at her, trying to wrap his head around the situation and see where she was coming from.

Regina started to feel foolish for her outburst, but she held her glare at him out of sheer pride, "What?" She snipped, pulling her arm from his grip.

"I'm sorry I've been busy the past couple of days but that doesn't mean my intentions with you have changed," David reassured in a softened tone. He knew she was riddled with insecurities from her upbringing and he was grateful that she'd express them to him rather than just shut him out. "Trust me."

She looked down at her feet now, guilt rising in her with each passing second at the way she'd acted. _Damn her temper_. "Forget it," She crossed her arms and lifted her head but turned it to the side to avoid his gaze.

He only chuckled, seeing that she was calming down but too proud to let go of the angry front she'd appeared with, "So stubborn," He mused out loud, seeing her turn her head to look at him with her lips parted in preparation for a comeback before he grabbed one of her hands and started pulling her for the tower staircase.

"What are you doing?" She hesitated but he only pulled her by the hand harder until she was forced to follow him. He didn't answer her, just shook his head and chuckled again to himself as he drug her towards the staircase.

"You want to know why I've been avoiding you, see for yourself," He said when they reached the top of the spiral staircase that opened up to the one large room in the tower. She followed him, reaching the top just a few moments after he did and nearly running into him when her eyes scanned the room.

Her lips parted as she peered around, seeing bookshelves lining the walls of the octagon shaped stone room. They were obviously new and halfway filled, reaching tall enough that there was a rolling ladder that could be pushed around in front of them to reach the top shelves. There were boxes of books stacked on the floor still yet to be put away, a mop and a broom leaned up against a few of the boxes in evidence that someone had been cleaning. She looked back to David who stood there in a dirty, simple cotton shirt and faded brown pants fit to work in and the pieces of the puzzle began to come together.

"Is this..?" Regina looked at him, all traces of anger gone.

"For you, yes," David nodded with a small smile, "I know you've been practicing your magic and I thought you should have a space all your own to study in."

"You've done this by yourself?" Her heart threatened to leap out of her chest at how fast it started to beat.

"With the exception of the bookcases and carrying the boxes, yes. I had some of the guards help me carry those up when they were delivered. I might not have survived if I'd tried to bring them up all four stories by myself," He gave a laugh, stepping further into the room and motioning for her to do the same.

"The books, they're for me as well?" Her eyes scanned over the wooden crates full of fresh, new books. She approached one crate, running her fingertips over the spines of the books, seeing ones on herbs and spells and the history of magic.

"Of course," He nodded without looking at her as he scanned the room, "There should be enough to fill most of the shelves, but you'll still have some room to add to your collection. I want to put a table in the middle of the room as well as a workspace for you, but I haven't had a chance to yet…because…well, you're a stubborn and impatient little thing," He gave her a teasing smile and her face turned red at the thought of how she'd reacted earlier.

"I'm so sorry to ruin the surprise…I never thought…I.." She stumbled for words, still too in shock that anyone would do something so nice for her, "You actually want me to continue learning magic?" She swallowed hard, turning more towards him.

"I want you to stop looking at it as a curse and start looking at it as a gift," He stepped towards her, reaching down for her hands, "You're special, Regina. And just because your mother chose to use her talent for evil doesn't mean you will."

The words hit her heart like a ton of bricks. David knew what her mother was capable of, knew Regina had that same capability. He knew the darkness that she'd struggled with in the past year and still yet he trusted her. He didn't try to suppress who she was for fear of what she could do. He was giving her the tools to improve her talent and had faith in her that she'd use it for good.

She knew he had no clue about her lessons with the Dark One and she wasn't sure she deserved his trust, but it touched her all the same. It made her not want to give into the darkness. It made her want to embrace who she truly was and use it for good. It made her want to prove to him that she could be trusted with what he'd just given to her.

"...Thank you," She managed to choke out after a moment, tears welling in her eyes.

David gave her a gentle smile and swallowed hard at her reaction. He didn't know how she'd react to it when he'd first gotten the idea, but he felt that she needed to explore who she was and he wanted to give her a safe space to do that in. He was relieved and elated that she was this touched by the gesture.

"Hey, don't do that," He said in a soft tone as he swiped a tear that rolled down her cheek with his thumb and gave her a playful smile, "That wasn't my intention."

She tried to give him a smile but it ended up being watery and muffled by her emotions. Her mind searched for something to say that would accurately portray how grateful she was to him for this, but nothing came to her. Instead her hands sought the sides of his face, pulling his head down slightly as she lifted on her toes and pressed her lips to his in a long, gentle kiss.

David couldn't have imagined a better reaction from the Queen as he felt her soft lips meet his, his hands instinctually reaching out to run over her narrow waist and bring her closer to him. She carried so much emotion and depth in such a petite package. The way she could go from hopping mad to this sweet little emotional mess in his arms in just a few minutes made him adore her even more.

He brought one of his hands from her waist, cupping the side of her jaw and tilting it the opposite direction and he lengthened the kiss. She felt so right in his arms and he could practically taste the sexual chemistry between them. _Not to mention she was a fantastic kisser._

Regina sighed contentedly into his mouth as she brought her arms up to wrap around his neck and keep him close to her with their height difference. She felt both of their mouths open slightly when he pulled her body up against his and she gave a soft moan when their tongues brushed. Butterflies erupted in her stomach when he took it one step further and dipped his tongue into her mouth, deliciously caressing it against her own.

"Mm," He gave a groan in the moment and Regina lost her doubts that he was not attracted to her or didn't want her. She felt it in the way he grasped her back and hip to keep her up against him. The way he nipped her bottom lip before kissing her deeply again. "Mmm," He groaned again, almost in annoyance at himself when he lifted his mouth from hers, "This is not why I did this for you, just so you know," He gave her a lazy, heated smile and she noticed how his blue eyes were a shade darker. It felt good to know she'd gotten to him.

"I know," Regina smiled reassuringly before biting her bottom lip, keeping her arms wrapped around his neck as he held her to him. David noticed the flush to her cheeks and it stirred something inside him to realize how responsive she was to his touch and kiss. He had a feeling when they crossed that line that he wouldn't be able to get enough of her.

"Should we go to dinner before we get ahead of ourselves?" He smirked down at her, running his hands over her back.

Regina grinned, bringing her hands down from his neck to rest on his chest. She'd never been very comfortable with affection other than with Daniel, but with David it felt strangely right. She relished in being able to finally let out this side of her with desires and for it to be met so equally by her husband. There was a tinge of excitement that ran through her at the thought of everything he could teach her.

David chuckled at her cat-like grin and lack of response before adding playfully, "After all, I'm sure you worked up quite an appetite yelling at me earlier."


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you for the reviews! I'm so glad you all are still into this! The rating changes in this chapter, but it's not the one where IT happens. I'm gonna torture you a little :D please review you know I love your feedback! And also those of you who follow my other story Alternate Endings, there's and update up as of last night. If you're still reading that one please review and let me know to continue! Now enjoy xxx_

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"Loser!" Regina called out and flashed a smug grin back at David as she pulled on Rocinante's reins to bring her from a gallop to a trot, seeing her breath in the cold winter air. Granny would have she and David's heads for going on a ride in the middle of winter, which was the reason they'd secretly agreed to slip out of the castle after breakfast.

They'd been riding for over an hour, galloping across the open fields and enjoying being outside despite the cold air. David had shown her a couple of paths on the castle grounds and ended up challenging her to a race back to the stables. It was one of the best days she'd had in a very long time.

"Cheater," David grinned as his own horse caught up with Rocinante, trotting up beside her as they neared the stables. Regina's cheeks were flushed and her hair wispy and wild, but she looked more alive than he'd ever seen her and it was beautiful.

"Bad sport," She bantered back as they came to a stop once they'd brought the horses into the stable, swinging her leg over the back of Rocinante to step down. David was watching her every movement and she felt it, _relished in it._ There was a flirtation and tension ever present between them since their fight the day he surprised her with the library.

He grinned as he watched her turn her back to him to begin to undo Rocinante's saddle, dismounting his own horse without taking his eyes off of her. David secured Midnight's reins around his own stable post before taking a chance and approaching his wife from behind.

"I'm not a sore loser, I know you cheated," David wrapped his arms around her waist playfully giving it a squeeze as he brought the side of his face against her own, "With magic," He added in a low, playful tone, "Sorceress."

She let out a playful gasp, turning around in his arms and enjoying the feeling of being so close to him. They were finding more and more reasons to touch each other lately and Regina felt herself becoming comfortable with the affection, "Is it really that hard to believe that the Queen may just be a better rider than the King?"

"Hm," His eyes grew a few shades darker and the way he looked at her made her stomach coil. David playfully walked her backwards to the hidden wall between the stalls, "I have no doubts you're great at riding," He grinned and she felt her cheeks flush and a smile tug at her own lips.

"Mmm, do you plan to find out for yourself?" Regina asked, looking up at him innocently as she bit down on her bottom lip. She noticed he looked at her lips a lot and the mischief in her prompted her to make the most of it.

A devilish grin tugged at the King's features as he gently pressed her back against the stable wall with his own body, reaching down to run his hands over her waist, "You look so innocent but deep down…you're a minx," He smirked as he leaned his head down to hers, brushing his lips against her own.

Regina grinned before taking initiative with the kiss, feeling bolder each time they were near each other. Her hands reached up to grip the lapels of his heavy coat, pulling him down towards her at the height difference with her just in her heel-less riding boots. His cologne and the cold air swirled her senses, sighing softly at the feeling of his stubble when he kissed the corner of her mouth and trailed kisses down her jaw to her neck slowly.

She was cold but she couldn't feel it with how warm David had her body feeling, her heartbeat increasing with each teasing kiss he pressed to her sensitive neck. Her hands snuck inside of his coat, wrapping around his waist and gripping his back to keep him close to her.

"You look so beautiful," David groaned against her skin, feeling her tilt her head to give him easier access. He cupped the other side of her neck with his free hand as he devoured the skin exposed to him, hearing her breath catch when he would occasionally nip her. Her body was practically melting into the wall as he stepped one of his legs in between her own. His member was pulsing, stirring to life in his tight riding breeches at how pliant she was in his hands.

He lifted his head up for a moment to look at her, eyes closed and head tilted back against the rough stable wall. Her skin was flushed and her chest moving faster than it had been. Pride swelled within him at the knowledge that she trusted him, and even better that she responded to him like this. He realized that unlike his previous trysts after Snow's death, he wasn't comparing Regina to his late wife. He didn't feel like he was being unfaithful. All he could think about was the woman in front of him.

David leaned down and kissed her again after staring at her in a way that made her legs weak. The kiss was hungrier now and it made a moan erupt in her throat before she even realized it, swallowing the end of it. She remembered what happened the last time they'd fooled around and how wanton she'd acted. _Get it together, Regina._

"Don't do that," He groaned against her lips before kissing her harder, caressing his tongue over hers, "Let it out, I want to know what you like and what you don't," He whispered pulling his lips back to lock eyes with her for a moment.

She nodded slightly before leaning up to capture his lips with her own again and let out a soft moan when she tilted her head the other way to change the angle. Her fingers curled, fisting the back of his shirt in her hands as he pressed their bodies together firmer. The heat between them grew like wind spreading a flame and she felt her body coming alive like a forest fire.

David wanted to touch her everywhere and holding her waist no longer was enough to please him. Truth be told, he wanted to strip them both down and take her fully, but it was far too cold out here and he didn't want their first time to be a quick romp. He moved a hand up between them and slipped it into her coat, running his hand up her front slowly cupping her breast. Regina let out a whimper then that made his cock threaten to burst the seam of his pants as he fondled her perfectly sized mound, teasing her hard nipple with his thumb through the fabric of her shirt.

He groaned, breaking the kiss and pressing his forehead to hers as he watched her. As much as he wanted to lift her up and bury himself inside of her, he wanted to watch her more. She was exquisite, tugging at her bottom lip with her teeth and moaning near his ear again when he leaned in to resume kissing and sucking at her neck.

"Mmm...David," The way she said his name was a breathy, low moan and his blood rushed south to his groin. He was probably leaving a mark on her neck, sucking down on a spot that seemed to be making her whimper. _God_ , she was starting to grind herself against his leg that rested in between her thighs. Images flooded his mind of everything he wanted to do with her, knowing she'd be adventurous and exciting to have in the bedroom.

Regina was panting, shamelessly grinding herself against his leg that was pushed in between her thighs. She was throbbing down there from his kisses and the friction seemed to be the only thing that made it better. Instinctually she wanted more, but she didn't have a clue what she wanted more of. There was a need to chase the hot coiling feeling in her stomach and find a way to reach release. She felt sure David knew exactly how to cure the primal need in her and she became impatient, rubbing herself against him harder and pulling at his shirt in her grip.

"Fuck, Regina," He groaned into her neck and the vibrations sent a sliver of pleasure through her. David knew his night would end painfully hard but he wanted to watch her come undone. It was only fair he extinguished the fire he had started. He slid the hand teasing her breast down to where her shirt was tucked into her riding pants, undoing the buttons, "Tell me if you want me to stop," He whispered and she gave a curt nod that expressed her desire for anything but.

David pressed his forehead to hers, watching her looking down between them at where his hand was headed. He let the front of her pants gape a little before slowly pressing his hand with the palm against her skin and sliding it down to the apex of her thighs.

 _"Oh_!" Regina exclaimed at the sensation when David's large fingers found her hot and slick bundle of nerves, brushing over it softly at first, "David… _oh_ …" She moaned and let the back of her head rest against the stable wall, her legs feeling weakened by his touch.

"You're so wet," David whispered, lips ghosting over his neck where he'd been sucking, brushing over his ear as he lifted his mouth to whisper to her, "I bet it would feel so good to be inside of you, Regina," He heard her whimper at the thought and her knees start to buckle on her, so he pressed his knee against the stable wall between her legs firmer in case they gave away on her completely.

"That feels.…" Regina's thoughts were fuzzy, her head spinning and her bottom half aching. Her hips moved in a way she hadn't been aware they could. Curling and rolling to match his movements. He teased her nub, massaging it in firm circles and slowly increasing his pace, " _God_ …" She gasped, letting her lips part as her brows furrowed together only being able to focus on the pleasure.

"What do you want me to do?" David groaned at how wet she was getting and how she shamelessly squirmed and pushed herself against his fingers for more pressure. He smirked, biting down on her earlobe and hearing her practically mewl as he kept the same moderate pace, knowing she wanted more but wanting to here her say it. "Regina?"

"More," She moaned loudly, causing him to lift his head to look at her. He could see her nipples piercing hard through the shirt she wore, her chest heaving, lips swollen and neck flushed. His Queen was a sexual little creature and he had a feeling with time she'd be comfortable to demand exactly what she wanted from him, " _Faster_ , David," Her tone was pleading and it made him rock hard, straining against the crotch of his pants.

Her clit was swollen and he knew she was close, teasing it firmer and massaging faster circles. She was panting now, mewling and whimpering, sucking her bottom lip into her teeth jerking her hips as she started to unravel. David nearly came in his pants just from watching her orgasm hit her. Her lips parted and mouth formed an o shape as he her eyes squeezed shut and she cried out, digging her nails into his back.

"Dear god," He groaned under his breath at how hard her own back arched and body tensed just from his fingers, watching her eyes fly open with surprise after the climax of her orgasm passed.

She reached down, quickly grabbing his wrist to stop his stroking at how sensitive she became as she gasped for breath rode the waves, "… _oh…god_ …" She repeated, her eyes merely slits when she held his wrist still and looked up to meet his gaze.

David gave her a genuine smile though she could see the arousal in his expression and feel it against her leg. She instantly missed the contact of his hand when he pulled it from her pants, "You okay?" He asked, his voice slightly lower and huskier.

His hands came down to her hips, holding her up when he brought his leg from between hers and she gave him a breathy smile and a nod. Regina's body was buzzing and she suddenly felt stupid, not being able to even formulate a sentence in response.

"Can I dress down your horse for you, Your Majesty?" They heard a sudden voice behind them and Regina's eyes grew wide when she looked up at David. He glanced over his shoulder to see the head stable boy, Ben, standing there with an earnest look. He knew the young man well enough to know if he'd heard anything he and Regina were just doing, he would've went running the other way.

"Uh, yeah, go ahead. Thanks Ben," David nodded before turning back to glance down at Regina who had just finished buttoning her pants back up and pulling her coat closed hastily. His large frame had hid any view of her from Ben and gave her a moment to adjust her clothing, thankfully. "The Queen and I were just going back inside."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Ben nodded before turning quickly to gather the reins for their horses and take them into their stalls respectively.

"Shall we?" David asked and Regina smirked at the way he reached down and tugged at the crotch of his pants before holding his arm out for her to wrap hers around. She felt slighty guilty that they'd not had a chance to address his need, but she wasn't sure what she would have done anyways. "Not one word," He drew his brows down playfully when he caught her grinning over his situation in his riding breeches. _Minx_.

* * *

The rest of the day was almost as pleasant as her morning with David, for Thomas had shown up to have a royal council meeting with her husband and brought Ella along. Though Regina and Emma were getting along better, she was happy to have someone the same age as her to speak with. She'd never really had friends growing up and this was one aspect of her new life she looked forward to... _Well, not the only thing._

They'd retired to the sitting room in the castle, chatting away with tea and biscuits that Granny had prepared for them. _The woman was always trying to feed her._ Regina didn't mind, though, for she knew food was the way Granny showed that she cared. And her life so far had taught her that she'd never take someone caring for her for granted.

"So what's this great news you couldn't wait to tell me?" Regina humored her new friend, reaching out to set her teacup down on the saucer. Ella was in an especially bubbly mood today, proving to Regina how opposite they really were. Maybe that's why she enjoyed her company; Ella was light and carefree and fun. Regina was much more controlled and guarded and her humor on the sarcastic side. They seemed to balance each other out.

"Oh!" Ella's eyes grew wide at the mention of her announcement, biting her lip hard to try to suppress the smile, "Thomas and I are having a baby."

"Really?" Regina broke into a wide smile at the sheer happiness on her friend's face, "Ella, that's wonderful. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Ella reached out and took Regina's hand into her own, "You and David should try so our children could grow up together!"

She laughed, feeling her eyes widening at the idealistic notion. While this morning had proved to her she would certainly enjoyed trying to have a baby with David, she knew that would not happen for a long time. _If ever._

"What's wrong?" Her friend seemed to sense Regina's uneasiness and she looked at her for an explanation. She wasn't used to sharing her personal thoughts but she felt Ella was someone she could confide in.

"If I tell you something, would you promise to keep it to yourself?" Regina began, troubling her lip between her teeth as she read Ella's response. From what she'd seen the women of this society were brutal gossips and you had to be careful who you told things to.

"Of course," The blonde smiled genuinely, laying her own hands in her lap and waiting patiently.

"David and I…we didn't go into this marriage willingly…we're…" She struggled to try to explain it. It wasn't as if she didn't have feelings for David and she was pretty sure he reciprocated them. There was definitely sexual tension. So to say that their marriage was fake would be misinformation, "Well…we're getting to know each other but…we haven't…you know…"

"Ooooh," Ella responded with a raise of her eyebrow as the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place, "Have you, ever?"

"No," She let out a wistful sigh, "I think it will happen soon, though." She admitted, memories of this morning coming to her mind and making her cheeks flush slightly.

The mother-to-be grinned at her, "You want to, don't you?"

"Maybe," Regina admitted and they both chuckled. She could've never had this conversation with Granny or Emma and she was grateful that the blonde sitting next to her was so open about things. She herself didn't have the nerve to talk about intimacy so casually.

"It's completely normal. The first few times can me a little uncomfortable in the beginning because well," Ella gave a shrug in a matter of fact way and raised a brow, "But don't be scared, it's not as painful as our mothers claim. That's just to scare us from doing it until we're married," She smirked.

"My mother always claimed that it was a wife's duty only and that you shouldn't act like you…wanted it. That it's not lady like," She found herself rolling her eyes and looking at Ella knowingly, "But it's hard, you know? David says he…" She stopped, not knowing how far she should go.

"Go on! He what?" Her friend leaned in with a mischievous grin, "Honestly Regina, don't be so uptight."

"I'm not uptight," Her lips parted to feign offense, making Ella chuckle in response and give a 'mhm', "David says he likes it when he knows I'm enjoying it. It seems to excite him."

"Of course it does!" Ella nodded wideyed, "My mother told me the same kind of thing, it's just their generation. Thomas doesn't mind at all."

"Obviously," Regina retorted with a nod towards her friend's midsection, making them both erupt in laughter.

* * *

David and Regina stood at the entrance of the castle, seeing off Thomas and Ella as they waved from their carriage when the visit had ended. She felt David wrap an arm around her waist and pull her a little closer and smiled to herself. She had worried that he may regret what they'd done but he didn't seem to.

"Did you have a good visit with Ella?" He asked, turning her to him and snaking his other arm around her as well. She smiled, leaning in to him and resting her hands on his chest between them.

"I did, it was good to see her. Did Thomas tell you the news?" She asked, watching him to gauge his reaction. They'd never talked about children, for their relationship was much too new, but she was curious as to where he stood on having another family.

"Yeah, they're so excited," He chuckled a little, "It's an exciting time, though. I remember-" He began to tell her the story of Snow's pregnancy with Emma but caught himself.

"I don't mind if you talk about it," Regina looked up at him genuinely after clocking on to why he had decided not to share his story, "It's your life, David."

"I just don't want to be insensitive to your feelings."

"You're not, I want to know more about you. It's how we get to know each other, sharing things like this. You had a life before me, I don't expect you just to forget it."

David smiled, running a hand up to cup the side of her face, "You calling me old, Queen?" He asked playfully, watching her roll her eyes.

"Will you two get in here out of the cold before you catch your deaths?!" Granny squawked when she poked her head out of the large castle doors, masking a smile when she saw them pull apart from their embrace, "I drew you a bath, Regina."

David nodded towards granny, holding his hands behind his back and giving a polite nod to his wife, "I'll come say goodnight later," He smiled warmly, "Go ahead."

Regina felt like she was floating on clouds with the gentle way he looked at her. She returned his smile and did a small curtsy before turning to follow Granny's instructions to come back inside.

"Oh so suddenly you two are the example of royal etiquette after I catch you about to canoodle," The older woman quipped, causing Regina's mouth to drop as she followed her in. She heard David chuckle from outside before the large castle door shut behind them.

"Really, Granny?" She smirked and shook her head at the bold woman charging ahead of her for the kitchen.

"I've got maids to go boss around," Granny glanced at her when they reached the grand staircase and she started to take the back hall towards the servant quarters. She had a hint of amusement in her expression before adding, "Go wash off your smudged lipstick."

Regina quickly reached up to dab around her mouth before pulling her fingers back to look at them, realizing she hadn't even put lipstick on today. The older woman let out a laugh when Regina drew her brows down in a frown, knowing she had been tricked and blown her and her husband's cover. "Goodnight, girl."

Regina smiled speechlessly at the woman's good humored prodding before making her way up the steps. It had been a long day and she was exhausted, and also a little nervous as to what David meant when he said he'd come wish her goodnight. Even if he did only come to say the words, she felt giddy that he made the effort.

Her feet seemed to pick up the pace themselves as they made her way down the corridor, a stupid smile on her face at the thought of everything that had happened that day. The idea of a hot bath did sound nice after the chill she'd exposed herself to today. _In more ways than one._

She passed Emma's room, starting to turn to make the intersection that led her towards her wing. If she'd kept going in the same direction it would've led her towards Leopold's quarters and she wanted to stay far away from those. As if her mind summoned him, the slimy old man appeared before her from around the corner and startled her. She realized that he was coming from the direction of her wing and wondered if he'd went there in search for her.

"Your Majesty," Leopold nodded, eyeing her over in a way that made her skin crawl, "I haven't seen much of you lately. You and David have been spending a lot of time together."

"Yes, isn't that what you wanted?" She clenched her teeth in irritation, crossing her arms over his chest. Every conversation had a double meaning with Leopold and her patience was wearing thin with him. A dark thrill ran through her at the idea that soon she'd teach herself enough magic to scare the hell out of the old creep.

"Of course, of course," He smiled fakely, "Although I would like to see another grandchild before I am entirely satisfied with your union. The kingdom needs reassurance that their royal family will continue and the kingdom will prosper."

"Are you finished?" She looked up at him defiantly, trying to push past him but he stepped in front of her. Neither one of them noticed Emma who had started to come out of her room but saw her grandfather and a distressed looking Queen.

"Not quite," He gripped her upper arm to make her look up at him, "You and David are becoming quite close and I just wanted to remind you that if you breathe a word of what I said to you to the King or anyone else, I will make your life hell."

She glared up at him but the darkness in his expression frightened her and made it difficult to keep up a brave face, "I haven't," Regina grit out, "You afraid the King might not take kindly to you threatening to rape me?" She smiled sarcastically and enjoyed the flicker of irritation in his eyes, but instantly feared what would come next.

"Feisty," Leopold responded as his gaze devoured her body for a moment before looking at her face again, "It's a shame, I would've enjoyed breaking that spirit." She didn't realize until he walked away that she was holding her breath and pressed a hand to her uneasy stomach when she gasped in air to resume breathing. She also didn't realize her step-daughter still stood hidden behind her cracked bedroom door with the same reaction.

* * *

"What's keeping you up?" Granny asked, walking into the King's study area of his bed chambers to put away his clean laundry. She'd expected him to be in the other section, already in bed as he usually was. _Perhaps he was waiting up to say goodnight to a certain someone who was soaking in a tub right now._

"Just reading," David gave her a tired smile as he put the bookmark in his book and looked up from his chair, "You can just lay those down, I'll put them away."

"I've seen how you put clothes away," Granny rolled her eyes behind her wire rim glasses, "You're about as domestic as Emma. I'm telling you, you're lucky she's royalty or the girl would never find a husband."

He laughed, shaking his head as he rose from his chair and came over to pick up a few items of clothing to help Granny, "My daughter isn't your typical princess."

"You don't say," Granny chuckled softly, "Oh and by the way, the next time you take the Queen out for a ride in the middle of winter, I'll flog you."

"What are you talking about?" He feigned innocence, hanging up a suit in his armoire before seeing the testy look Granny gave him, making him give up his attempt at denying it, "How did you know?"

"Don't think I didn't see you two flirting and whispering at breakfast," Granny couldn't help but smile, not having seen the King act as playful in years. He as starting to act his age again and she couldn't manage to give him the chewing out she'd planned for risking getting he or the Queen sick. "I knew you were cookin' up a plan."

"It was a good day," He smiled to himself, forgetting the laundry for a moment as he stared off in thought.

"I take it you're allowing yourself to develop feelings for your bride, now?"

"I.…I suppose you could say that…"

"You know she would've wanted you to be happy," Granny mentioned Snow without looking at David, giving him his privacy as she continued to put away his suits and uniforms, "And this is the closest you've been in years."

"I know, it's scary as hell," David admitted with a shaky laugh, "There's just something about Regina…"

"Aye, she's a special young woman," Granny agreed, much to David's surprise. She typically wasn't openly a fan of anyone, let alone someone who had the potential to get so close to he and his daughter, of whom she was fiercely protective of. He smiled to himself, knowing that if she approved of his blossoming feelings for his wife then he was making the right decision.

David and Granny's attention was drawn to his bedroom chamber door when Emma stepped in and interrupted their conversation. His daughter's face was pale and her expression told him she'd just witnessed something that had shaken her. He glanced at the woman beside of him who mirrored his confusion before looking back to the Princess when she finally spoke. "Dad, we need to talk."


	11. Chapter 11

_Thanks for the reviews :) next chapter is the big one xxx_

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"Eat your eggs before they get cold, boy," Granny fussed behind David's shoulder as he sat at the head of the table, clenching his table napkin in one fist and the arm of his chair with the other. He hadn't slept a wink last night, tossing and turning as he'd thought about what he wanted to do to Leopold. He'd stormed to his wing first thing this morning but the bastard had already left for a diplomatic meeting in a nearby village.

Granny had kept him from charging out to find him when Emma had admitted to them what she'd overheard. He'd refused to listen until his daughter had gotten upset and began to blame herself thinking she had done something wrong. Granny had warned him that if he went ranting and raving through the halls of the castle that the guards and maids would hear, and that as much as Leopold should be shamed for what he'd done, the kingdom and it's ignorant gossip would shame Regina more. She'd convinced him to think about it last night and he'd be able to react clearly today. _But he was still too angry for that._

Emma shared a wary glance with Granny as she pushed her fruit around her plate when David didn't even look up at her order. Even in his grouchiest moods he would at least mumble or nod out of respect for Granny when he spoke to her. Not today.

Granny sighed and went back into the kitchen to round up a plate for Regina who would undoubtedly be down soon. This side of David worried her; it was one she'd only seen a few times in his life. Once when she'd been visiting Ruth and her husband came home drunk and violent, and the other when Snow was giving birth and David felt the doctor was slacking. He was usually so level headed, but there was a fierce protective nature to him when someone he cared about was threatened.

"Good morning," A cinnamon sweet voice caused David to finally look up from the space he was staring into and a smile appear on his face at the sight of Regina. She was watching him with a warm expression, murmuring the same greeting to his daughter on her way past her. He felt her hand ghost over his shoulders as she came around his chair to sit opposite Emma on the other side of him.

"Good morning, sleep well?" He asked, amazed at her gentle and cheery nature even after Leopold had accosted her the night before. His stomach turned at the realization that Cora had been so mentally abusive that Regina was probably used to being threatened and had learned not to draw attention to it. Would she ever have mentioned it if Emma hadn't told him?

"Yes," Regina smiled a little unsurely at him, sensing the tension in the way he sat with squared shoulders and hadn't touched his plate. Usually by the time she sat down he was shoveling in food and only answering with smiles and nods. She noticed Emma became distracted with chattering to Granny once she'd finally sat down with her own plate, prompting her to address him quietly, "You didn't come say goodnight.." She half asked, half stated with a hesitant smile on her face.

 _God, this woman was going to be the death of him._ She had been so mistreated, but remained so pure. He wanted to protect her from the world and anything that could potentially hurt her. David internally cursed himself for letting a snake like Leopold treat her like he had in her own home. _Never again._

"I'm sorry," He finally found his voice to reply, reaching out to run his hand over her own that rested on the table, "Something came up." It was the best excuse he had and he knew it was a poor one. The minute he said it he saw her force a smile and a nod, practically hearing the wheels of worry begin to turn in her head. He hated himself for prompting her insecurity and doubts that she wasn't wanted. He knew that was exactly where her mind went when she sensed the slightest amount of distance from him.

"Of course," Regina gave a small nod and felt her stomach sink, looking back to her plate with no interest in eating anymore. She'd appeared too clingy, made him have second thoughts. Despite telling herself not to come on too strong she knew she had. It had just been so long since someone had looked at her the way he did, the way Daniel had. Like she mattered, like she wasn't the disappointment her mother always told her she was, like she was worthy of love.

David had sat there long enough, brooding about what he was going to do to Leopold. He couldn't take his anger anymore or Regina internalizing his bad mood, "If you'll excuse me," He forced a smile at her, standing and leaning over the table to kiss her head after seeing the dejected expression on her face. It was the first display of affection he'd shown her in front of anyone and he saw Emma and Granny perk up in surprise.

She looked up at him donning a confused, half smile when he straightened up with a troubled expression and turned to exit the dining room, giving a nod to Emma and Granny. Her gaze followed him before looking back to the women sitting across from her, "Is he upset with me?" Regina asked with a hard swallow in an attempt to clear the lump in her throat.

"No, girl. Of course not," Granny reassured her quickly while Emma simply glanced down to her plate with a guilty expression. "He's just got a lot on his mind."

* * *

Regina focused on the candle in front of her as she pressed her hands against the dark wooden table in the middle of her now finished tower. Her eyes narrowed, brows furrowed in concentration and frustration. She'd been attempting this for going on thirty minutes now and her patience was wearing thin. Practicing magic was supposed to have been her way of distracting herself from the tense morning she'd experienced and David making himself scarce once again. _The bastard,_ she cursed him mentally and gasped when the candle in her gaze began to flicker with flame.

Rumple had been right, it was all about harnessing emotion when summoning magic. She smiled at her accomplishment before biting her lip at the realization that the Dark One had stopped coming around. It was for the best, she knew, for her struggle with the darkness inside of her was hard enough without him tempting her to give into it. It had been much more bearable lately with David's company and their blossoming relationship keeping her darkness at bay. Still, she had a foreboding feeling at how scarce Rumpelstiltskin had made himself. After all, she had agreed to a deal with him to teach her magic in return for something in the future. She hoped his absence meant that she was released from the contract, though she doubted he gave up that easily.

Her stomach turned at the idea of having to tell her husband that she'd made a deal with the Dark One. It would most likely destroy any progress they'd made. The forced marriage, her initial hatred for his daughter, life in this castle...it had driven her to partake in a deal with Rumple even when she'd known deep down he'd use her power for horrible things. She'd almost given into the darkness completely, she'd almost ruined David's family and good reputation, all because of her own heartbreak and misery. Would he still look at her the same when he found out how selfish and childish she was?

She straightened and stretched her back that had grown stiff at her leaning, looking around at the bookshelves that were half full. He'd done all of this for her, with his own two hands, without knowing that she didn't actually deserve it. A weak smile graced her lips at the thought of how he'd slipped a note under her bedroom door before he'd left one morning last week for her to write down more books she'd like to order along with any other supplies she needed. Would he be as thoughtful when Rumple sought his debt and their world came crashing around them?

"My goodness," Granny huffed when she reached the top of the steps and put a hand on her hip, looking around while she caught her breath, "So this is what that boy was up to."

"Hmm," Regina turned quickly but gave her a smile at the realization of who she was. Granny watched her over the rims of her glasses and saw the troubled eyes she'd come to realize gave away the Queen's moods despite her otherwise pleasant expression.

"Don't think the King knows what he's getting himself into encouraging you to practice your magic," She jested as she made her way into the tower, carrying a parchment wrapped package under one of her arms. The young Queen's eyes widened in realization that Granny knew about her hobby, making the older woman chuckle, "I know everything that goes on around here. Here, this came for you today. Some of the things you asked for," She nodded and set the package down on the table.

"I didn't think you'd be the type to approve of magic," Regina admitted with a sheepish smile as she came over beside her to untie the string around the package.

"Not for some people's magic, no," Granny gave a shrug and leaned against the table, watching her, "But I've seen a measure of good, healing magic back in the village we used to live in."

"I want to use mine for good," There was a solemn pause that came from the Queen, "I've seen what using your magic for the wrong reasons can do." She referred to her mother and hated herself even more for being tempted by dark magic when she'd grew up experiencing the wrath of it. How could she have been so stupid?

"I have no doubt you will."

There was indeed no doubt in the older woman's eyes when Regina met her gaze. The faith Granny seemed to have in her struck a chord in her, made tears well in her eyes. She'd never felt approval or reassurance from a motherly figure like the one standing before her, offering it up without hesitation. "I don't deserve that kindness, Granny."

"Of course you do, sweet girl," Her gray brows furrowed and she reached out to take one of Regina's hands into her own, "You've got to ignore that voice inside of you that makes you doubt yourself. Your mother is a fool who didn't see you for the beautiful person you are because of who she wanted you to be. You should be proud that you did not let her change you."

A tear rolled down Regina's cheek and she quickly reached up to swipe it and avert her eyes to the floor. Today had been mentally exhausting between her anxiety over David's distance and now this. Her emotions were bubbling within her and she didn't know how to handle them, didn't know how to express them in front of someone. For years she'd been scolded and punished for showing fear or anger or hurt. But here Granny was, validating her as a person and telling her it was okay to be human. To be herself.

"Sometimes I feel I am like her more than I care to admit," She managed to say with a shaky voice, exhaling a pent up breath. Granny's hand came up to cup her chin and lift her head back to her own gaze.

"Your mother let life's heartbreak change her, harden her," Granny did not know Cora's story but she had seen many people let life get the best of them in the way she had. They lost themselves in the bitterness and anger inside of them, turning their backs on love and happiness. Instead they sought power and revenge, much like Cora was trying to do through her poor daughter. "She hurts you because she is unhappy with herself. You've been hurt and you've lost and you're heartbroken, but you can't let it harden you like she has. You hear me? I didn't let David give into the sadness and I won't let you."

Her tears ran freely down the apples of her cheeks now at Granny's earnest expression. The things that had happened to her had threatened to break her. She'd struggled with the darkness, she'd almost given into heartbreak. But these people in this castle that she tried to run away from had faith in her. David had shown it with this room and his approval of magic. Granny told her with her constant fussing over her well-being and the kind words she spoke now. Emma had even shown it in her own subtle way. For them she would keep trying.

* * *

"David," Leopold muttered in sudden surprise when he entered his dark bed chamber, seeing the younger King sitting in his chair near the fireplace.

"Leopold," David nodded once, gripping the arms of the chair tighter when he saw the man and his anger came back in full force, "Let's have a talk."

"What's this about? Can't it wait until morning? I've had a long day, son," The ex-King frowned and made his way over to hang his cloak. He was always so dismissive, so arrogant. Two things that made David's blood boil after growing up with an alcoholic for a father who acted much like the man before him now.

"No."

"Pardon me?"

David saw the shock register on Leopold's face. He usually treated the older man with much more respect. Though he didn't always like him, he was his elder and Snow's father, so he'd always bitten his tongue. That all ended the moment Emma told him what she'd overheard. He'd tolerated Leopold scheming and undermining him for years, but when it came to his young Queen, all bets were off. "Tell me what you said to Regina."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to elaborate," The bald man sighed, sauntering over to his dresser to take off his obnoxious jewelry that David never could stomach.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," David's voice came out in nearly a growl as he rose from his chair to stand, "I want to hear you admit it."

"Tell me, David," Leopold turned then with a darkening glint in his eyes, showing his own anger, "What has your bride claimed I've said?"

"You threatened to have your way with her if we did not consummate our marriage," David stepped towards him, fists clenched to his sides.

"And you believe her? The daughter of a sorcerer? Yes, that's right. Her mother is a witch," He narrowed his eyes in a way that told David he thought he was telling him something he didn't know, "Don't think I haven't had my people look into their family. It's a shame we didn't do it before the marriage. Your little bride isn't as innocent as she claims to be."

"Are you calling her a liar, now?!" David hissed, stepping up to look the man in the eyes. Leopold was a big man, but David was a few inches taller, and much slimmer, to say the least. Still, he knew the man was a coward and had been pampered his entire life. He could end the man in seconds if he wanted to.

"That's exactly what I'm calling your little bitch in heat," Leopold spat back at him before David's fist connected with his jaw, sending him stumbling backwards into his dresser and knocking the contents off of it with a loud crash. David wrung out his hand, gaining some satisfaction from watching the man wallow around, but his anger was still very much present.

"Guards!" Leopold bellowed when he gained his footing and managed to stand again, holding his face and scrambling for the door out into the hall, "Guards, come this once! The King has gone mad!"

"I want you out!" David grit out between clenched teeth, following the pathetic man into the hall without fear of the guards he was pleading for, "Get your things and get out of my castle!"

"How quickly you've forgotten who gave you all of this!"

He watched the older man suddenly gain confidence at the sound of the guards running down the hall at his beckoning, their armor clanging and echoing throughout. Leopold's lip bled and his eyes were wild with anger as he pointed a finger at David, "How quickly! And now you think you're putting me out of my own home because some desperate whore approached me for an heir when you wouldn't touch her?!"

"Enough with the lies against Regina, I won't have it!" David grabbed Leopold by his collar, shoving him back against one of the walls, "Besides, it was your own granddaughter who witnessed you threatening the Queen and told me about it."

Regina stepped out of her room at the sound of David and Leopold's booming voices in the next corridor, not caring that she was only in her nightgown. She didn't know what was happening but it made her nervous and she practically started to run when she followed the voices getting louder. She heard her name and her stomach rolled with anxiety, nearly plowing Emma who came out of her own room when she rounded the corner.

"Emma, what's happening?" She asked breathlessly, glancing at the girl as they both scurried towards the intersecting hall near Leopold's wing where the commotion was happening. Her heart was in her chest as she suddenly realized why she'd been so nervous today. She was waiting for something like this to happen. Had Leopold told David lies about her? Was this another scheme on his part? Was that why David was so distant?

"My father knows that my grandfather threatened you," Emma admitted and Regina felt like she might actually throw up. The blonde watched the brunette's complexion grown a few shades paler as they came to a halt near the scene, seeing the guards trying to pry David from his pinned hold of Leopold against the wall.

"He what? How did he know?" Regina gasped, clutching her stomach at the sight before them. David was livid, gripping Leopold by the neck as they exchanged heated words. The guards attempted to break it up but David kept ordering them back, threatening them with the consequence of disobeying the King.

"I told him. I heard him approach you in the hall last night and threaten you not to tell."

Regina felt like her knees were about to give out from underneath her, "Emma, why would you do that?!" Had the girl been pretending to like her all of this time? Was she working with Leopold to turn David against Regina?

"Because it was the right thing to do," Emma looked at her firmly, reaching out to take her hand in a comforting gesture, "No one should be treat you like that, Regina."

Emotion rose in her throat at the realization that her step-daughter had sided with her, not Leopold. Emma had went against her own flesh and blood to warn her father of Regina's mistreatment. This wasn't a scheme. She swallowed hard and looked at the girl with an expression of gratitude that she knew she understood, despite her inability to speak at the time. It was a brief, touching moment before their attention was drawn back to the men before them.

"Seeing as both of you have forsaken me, I'll gladly leave," Leopold glared and threw a glance towards Emma and Regina, "Unhand me," He reached up, shoving David's arm off of him that the King allowed at the older man agreeing to depart. "But before you alienate everyone defending your Queen's honor, perhaps you should find out why she is cohorts with the Dark One."

Regina swallowed bile that rose in her throat, seeing David's caught-off-guard expression when he looked over at her while the guards escorted a sneering Leopold back towards his chamber. She felt Emma squeeze her hand before she panicked and pulled it from her grip, taking off in the opposite direction towards her own wing. This was it, the day she had worried about just hours earlier in her tower. Her secret was out.

David watched his wife flee before he could approach her, looking at his daughter in confusion. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Emma," He came towards her, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I should.." He glanced in the direction Regina had ran. There had to be some truth behind Leopold's claim that Regina was somehow affiliated with the Dark One. It worried him, but she deserved a chance to explain herself.

Emma gave an understanding nod, "Go."

He pressed his lips into a line with a nod in return before heading down the corridor leading to Regina's quarters. What if it was true? What would his Queen possibly be doing with the Dark One? He'd just thrown his daughter's grandfather out of his own castle over the Queen. She deserved a chance to explain herself and he damn well deserved an explanation.

"Regina," He knocked on the door once, hearing silence from the other side. "Regina, we need to talk." _Nothing._ He grew irritated again, for it did not take much after his tussle with Leopold. "Damn it, Regina. Open up."

A few moments passed before he heard the sound of the latch unlocking and the door slowly opened. Regina's face was pale, her warm brown eyes full of fear as she looked up at him. She seemed so small, dressed only in her shift, holding her self in a protective stance.

"I'm not angry with you," He said first, sensing she needed the reassurance as he stepped in and shut her bedroom door behind her.

Her gaze flitted to the side before she muttered, "You should be."

"Why's that?" He took a step forward, frowning when she took a step back in response. "Regina, start talking."

"You should be angry with me!" She cried out, her facade crumbling as she looked at him with wide eyes of disbelief. Why couldn't he just be angry and yell at her? Why did he come after her when he would so clearly be done with her based on the knowledge of her dealings with Rumple, alone? "I made a deal with the Dark One to teach me magic. To help me get away from here!"

David couldn't deny that he felt hurt by it, but he also understood how heartbroken and miserable she'd been when she came here. How miserable they'd both been. He pressed his lips together, trying to decide how to reply before she continued.

"I desperately wanted out of this marriage and away from your daughter who I blamed for it," Tears rolled down Regina's face now as she took another step backwards as if she were bracing herself for his wrath, "I had horrible thoughts, I was tempted to do terrible things. I went behind your back and I sought Rumple's help. I almost ruined your reputation, your family!"

"Hey," He swallowed hard at how hysterical she was, seeing the guilt wracking her small frame as he closed the space between them and gripped her arms, not allowing her to run away from him, "Regina, calm down."

"Don't! Don't do that!" She nearly yelled, looking up at his infuriatingly calm expression, "Don't make excuses for me. I'm not the person you think I am, David!"

"Regina, I can't blame you!" He raised his own voice to get her attention, gripping her upper arms firmly but not hard enough to hurt her, "I've been there. I've lost someone I loved and I know the dark places it can take you and the way your better judgement fails you because all you feel is pain and grief. I also know I wasn't there for you like I should've been, considering I'd been through it," David locked eyes with her, seeing he'd gotten her attention, "Are you still seeing Rumple?"

"No," She swallowed hard, the action making one last tear spill over her lashes, "He wanted me to do dark magic for him, for something he wanted. I didn't want to go down the path that my mother had."

"See," His tone was softer and more encouraging, "You did the right thing. Why were you afraid to tell me?" David let go of one of her arms and reached up to brush her hair back from her face. It was loose and long, covering half of her beautiful, pained expression from him. He wanted to see her, he wanted to take that hurt from her and hold her until it passed. He wasn't going to let her hide from him.

"I thought it would ruin everything," She admitted, biting down on her lower lip as she tried to regain control of her emotions. "I didn't feel like I was good enough for you or your family once I got to know you and that if you know of my darkness..." Her voice tapered off when it became hard for her to speak.

"You couldn't be more wrong," He murmured, pulling her up against him and wrapping his arms around her, "I want to know every part of you, Regina."

She felt his lips press into her hair and she melted into his embrace, allowing herself to accept the comfort. His sense of understanding and his ability to say what she needed to hear surprised her every time. How was the man that intimidated her on their wedding day the same one who held her now? _Soothing her._

"Besides, I'm not all sugar and spice, you know," He whispered into her hair with a hint of amusement in his tone and she pressed her forehead against his chest and smiled before feeling his chest vibrate when he spoke again. "Let's get some sleep."

David picked her up then, one arm under her legs and one around her waist as he carried her over to the bed and laid her down, "Sleep well," He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her lips before starting to pull away.

"Stay," She found herself saying before she could process the words. "I don't want to be alone."

His heart threatened to burst out of his chest at her vulnerability; for someone who had been so hurt she was still incredibly open with him in certain moments. David nodded, shucking himself of his outer shirt and pants to prepare for bed. Regina scooted over to make room for him, holding the covers up invitingly. He smiled as he crawled into bed beside her and she returned one, for they both knew how right the simple act felt between them now.

He couldn't say he wasn't tempted when he pulled her body up against his, spooning her into his larger one. His chest pressed against her back, his right arm wrapping around her waist to keep her snug against him after pulling the covers up over their bodies. It would have been easy to kiss at her neck, to caress her soft skin, but tonight wasn't about that. It was about trust, about being there for her to comfort her, not take advantage of her in a vulnerable moment. So he lifted his head and pressed his lips to her cheek, "Goodnight, my Queen."


	12. Chapter 12

_so thank you for the reviews...sorry this chapter took a minute. I spent all day today working on it only to lose 8k of the words when trying to post it. so i rewrote it to the best of my memory. please review and let me know if you like how it turned out. i'm so mad over losing my original work it made me not even want to touch this story again. this is like 3 of my regular length chapters rolled into one...that is why i was so sick over losing the long ass original. i'd even taken my time and checked my grammar which NEVER happens..sigh. the more i look at this rewrite too the more i hate it. let me know what you think xxx_

* * *

David woke up, feeling her stir as she laid halfway on top of him. Her left leg was tangled within his own, her head tucked into the curve of his neck and left arm wrapped around his torso. The drapes were still drawn, leaving only little slivers of light that bled through and dimly lit the room.

"Good morning," His voice was low and rumbled from his chest when she lifted her head and realized he was still there, a sleepy smile tugged at the corners of her lips. The covers billowed around them, cocooning them from the cold winter weather that permeated the stone walls of the castle.

"Morning," Regina smiled at the fact he'd stayed there all night. It felt so right waking up beside of him, _well she was practically on top of him_ , but it felt natural. "It's chilly in here," Her brows drew closer together as she glanced over her shoulder towards the fire place that had gone out during the night.

"Looks like we're forced to stay under the covers all day," He gave her a lazy grin when she turned her head back to him, resting his head back on his left arm that was folded behind it, his right arm coming up to run over her back. She bit her lip and felt a shiver go down her spine when he slid his hand to her lower back before slipping over the round of her ass.

She grinned at his playful mood, running her forearms up under his pillow on each side of his head to lift herself just enough to look down at him to talk. Her bottom half rolled more onto him and he brought both of his hands to caress up and down her back, sometimes dipping down to grip her bottom.

"Thanks for staying with me last night," Regina looked down at him more seriously for a moment.

"Thanks for asking me to," He smiled, tracing a slowly circle pattern over her back through the fabric of her thin shift, making goosebumps break out over her skin, "I think sometimes we hesitate with each other because we don't want to overstep or be rejected…but I don't want to have boundaries with you. If we're going to do this, it's all or nothing."

David had given it thought and he knew that if he was going to let himself fall for her he could not hold anything back. Only allowing a part of himself to love her would not be fair to her, she deserved more. He already felt a deep adoration and attraction to her and if he was moving on he wanted it to mean more than lust.

"Are you always this serious in the mornings?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

"Are you always going to deflect your emotions with sarcasm?"

"Probably," Regina teased but gazed at him with a more sincere smile before biting her lip, "My mother always told me love is weakness. She berated me for showing affection or emotions so I'm…I'm just used to holding whatever I'm feeling in."

"Unless you're angry at me for ignoring you," It was his turn to tease now. His jest was brief, causing her to half smile, "Your mother is a nightmare…no offense…but I want to know what's going on in that mind of yours. Plus, you're pretty sexy when you're angry."

"Hmm," She smiled with a playful raise of her eyebrow, "You know, you kind of are too."

"Just kind of?" His mouth dropped to mock hurt as he gripped her ass, catching her by surprise as he suddenly rolled them over pinning her on her back. She yelped when he flipped them before letting out a carefree laugh that made him beam from ear to ear, "I defend your honor to the fullest and all I get is _kind of sexy_?"

She was grinning, attempting to pull her hands from where he had them pinned to the mattress, "Hm, is that getting you riled up?" Regina asked, teasingly bringing her legs up his sides from where he laid in between them, bending her knees and squeezing his waist with her thighs.

"I see what you're trying to do here," David growled with an intense smirk, leaning down to press his lips to her neck, "Do you enjoy antagonizing your King, _Queen_?"

"Very much so," She sighed and gasped when he nipped the skin at her neck, his stubble scratching her delightfully, "Mmm," She gave a small moan when his lips went back to kissing and gently sucking on the skin behind her ear. It instantly ignited a deep heat in her stomach between the kisses and feeling him pressing her into the mattress.

He delighted in the way she melted and responded to his touch, her body squirming underneath him. His member was already stirring awake, especially with the way she slowly starting to push her hips up against his for more pressure. Her hands found his hair as soon as he unpinned them from the mattress, running his own down her sides, one hand brushing her hard nipple through the fabric of her shift with his thumb.

"Such crimes against the King are punishable," David smirked into her skin before scraping his teeth over the length of her neck, lifting his head to look down at her. She noticed the way his eyes turned a few shades darker blue when he was aroused, his full lips flushed and filling her with heated thoughts.

"What would you have me do?" She asked and he grinned at how she was breathing slightly heavier, her face a little flushed as she gazed up at him with a coy smile. _God_ , she was gorgeous without even trying. Her face was void of any makeup but complexion still flawless, her dark lashes long, brows full and perfectly arched. _The scar on her top lip may be his favorite, though_ ; an outward symbolism of what a beautiful, broken creature she was. It gave her appearance a bit of an edge to those who did not know her, but she'd allowed him to see how soft she was inside.

"I want to hear my Queen beg for mercy," His voice was husky and deep, making the heat spread throughout her body as he leaned down and pressed his lips to her upper lip right over her scar. She recognized the sweet sentiment behind the gesture, making her lips curl against his and tilt her head back an inch to capture his mouth with her own.

"Mmm," Regina let out a soft moan into his mouth when he slipped his tongue into hers, his hands coming down her sides to grip the edge of her shift. Her legs tightened around his waist, feeling her heels digging into his lower back.

"Gods," David groaned at the way she wrapped herself around him, kissing her hungrier as he started to push and tug her shift up. He knew she was bare underneath, making him instantly hard as she lifted her hips and he managed to push it up over her toned bottom, bunching around her waist.

Regina ran her hands over the expanse of his shoulders, enjoying feeling his muscles work underneath her touch as his firm body pressed her down into the bed. She was starting to understand what Ella meant about not leaving their bed for weeks. There wasn't anything she could think of that made her want to get out from under these covers.

He broke the kiss at the feeling of her bare hips grinding against him through his thin cotton shorts. _Not yet,_ he was going to make her beg for mercy like he said. She wasn't going to get him this worked up and not get teased in return. The pouty look on her face when he broke the contact between their lips made him smirk before he gripped the covers, lifting it up as he traveled down the bed and pulled them over his head.

"What are you doing?" Regina frowned when he disappeared under the covers, feeling him spread her legs, "David?" She raised an eyebrow in confusion, lifting the covers and feeling her face turn red when she saw him press his lips to her thigh. Dangerously close to her… _oh_ …His kisses continued up her thigh before switching to the other.

"I'm going to make you beg," He looked up at her with devious eyes as his mouth hovered over her center and her breath hitched. She was so exposed to him it made her blush deepen but she also was too curious to stop him. His hot breath ghosting over her made her throb down there, his big hands gripping the sides of her hips.

She propped herself on one elbow, holding the covers up just enough to see him smirking up at her before he ran his tongue over her clit slowly. " _Ohhhh_ …" The word came out as a moan from deep in her throat, her elbow collapsing with her when he did it again, "David…"

"Do you want me to stop?" He asked, his lips brushing her clit as he spoke and he felt her hips squirm as she stared at the ceiling with her mouth agape.

".. _.No_ ," He heard her reply and her voice sounded a hint desperate despite the fact it was muffled by the covers over him. " _Ah_!" She gasped when he sucked down on her clit, teasing the bundle of nerves with his tongue in a faster rhythm.

Regina's stomach coiled rapidly, her mind reeling at the feeling. It felt better than anything she'd imagined, even better than his fingers had in the barn and she'd been a panting mess then. "David, _god_ ," She moaned when he'd work his tongue over her, sucking and licking for a few moments. Her body tensed, her hips squirming though his grip of her hips held her still.

"Is my Queen begging for mercy yet?" He stopped his ministrations to ask her, throwing her concentration and making her give a frustrated sigh before she realized. He chuckled, pressing his mouth back against her and groaning into her lips, hearing her moan turn into a cry.

The coiling in her abdomen heightened quickly when his mouth returned to her and she knew she was acting wanton but she couldn't find it in herself to care. One of her hands gripped the sheets, the other coming down under the covers to find his hair and hold her against her, _"Don't stop_ ," She said with a breathy moan, her back arching from the bed.

"What was that?" David groaned at how wet she was, pushing her thighs further apart and hearing her whimper, "Did you say please?" He sucked down on her clit letting her legs fall over her shoulders. Her thighs squeezed him when he worked his tongue faster, gripping her ass and tilting her up to him.

"Please, _keep going_ ," She didn't care anymore, she just wanted the feeling to last, to keep increasing. The coiling in her stomach got tighter and he started to let her move her hips against his mouth, "David," She cried out, writhing now.

"Mmm keep chasing it baby," He coaxed her with a groan, feeling rock hard in his shorts from the way she was losing herself, "Concentrate on the feeling," He mumbled, never taking his lips from her before he went back to teasing her nub with firm sucks and licks. Her moans and cries became more desperate as both of her hands came down to clutch at him.

Regina gripped David's hair, rolling her hips in a curling movement giving herself more friction on his mouth, " _Oh…_ I think I'm…about to…" She gasped before shuddering when her body contracted and a cry escaped her throat when her orgasm hit her violently. He let out a growl at the way her thighs clasped his head, keeping his tongue going against her as her body writhed and she curled into herself. Her hands suddenly pushed him back when she was able to gasp for breath again at the intense sensitivity she felt afterwards.

David smiled, kissing her thigh once before slowly starting to crawl up her body, dragging his lips and pressing random kisses over her stomach and chest as he came up from under the covers. He grinned when he was hovering over her once more at her sheepish smile, "Don't be embarrassed, you have me so turned on," He admitted, leaning down to kiss her again.

Regina sighed into his mouth, tasting herself on him and glad she had not listened to Cora's advice when it came to sex. David clearly liked to give her pleasure, he had twice now, and she could feel his reaction pressing against her between her legs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back deeper as he settled between her thighs once more.

"Up and at 'em, girl," Granny came through her bedroom door making them both jump and lift their heads as the older woman didn't even bother looking towards the bed. They froze, Regina's eyes widening when David looked back at her and grinned.

"Those damn chamber maids didn't come in here last night?" She fussed at the fire that had went out, half talking to herself as she was used to Regina being partially asleep and never responding. "I'm surprised you didn't freeze to death!" She said poking the fire until she'd gotten another small flame going, adding another piece of wood.

David merely smirked and rolled off of Regina slowly under the covers before clearing his throat, making Granny turn from where she stood opening the blinds, "Well now I know how you kept warm," She mused with a wag of her brows at the Queen with a flushed face and the King giving an expression that clearly told her she'd interrupted something.

"Morning, Granny," He sighed with an arch of his brow and a tense but good humored smile.

"Morning, boy," The older woman said, completely unbothered by what the two lovebirds were up to when she came in. It was about time they gave into their attraction to each other and enjoy the benefits of marriage. "I hate to ruin your morning, but may I remind you that you both are expected for a council meeting in a half hour. Time to get up and get dressed."

David groaned and fell back into the pillows in a pouty gesture, causing Regina to chuckle. He gave her a glare but his lips curled up into a smirk. Of course she wasn't bothered, he'd just made her come on his tongue while he went without release. It was worth it, though. And he knew that now that they'd started messing around that it wouldn't end anytime soon.

She gave him an apologetic smile and snuck a quick kiss on his lips when Granny went into the bathroom chamber to start running her a bath, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," He smiled, pressing his forehead to hers, "See you in a bit," He gave her another quick peck before scooting to the edge of the bed.

"Tell the King he better lock the door next time," Granny smirked as she came out with a bath robe for the Queen, chuckling at the way she flushed red again.

Regina was at least grateful that Granny hadn't come in a few minutes earlier than what she did, as her body was still coming down from the high, "I'm sorry, Granny," She smiled embarrassedly, making the older woman chuckle again.

"Nonsense, it's about time," She clucked, going over to the armoire to pull out a gown for her than day, carrying it over to the bed and lay it out, "A castle always runs better when its King and Queen are happy."

"We're trying to make it work," Regina said with a nod, slipping out of the bed and giving a shiver, tucking her arms over her chest.

"Don't think it'll take much trying," Granny raised a brow over her glasses and smirked, "Go on, your bath is waiting."

* * *

Regina sat next to her husband at the large, round council table. It was the first meeting he'd ask her to join him in, saying that she had just as much of a say in the kingdom as he did. Now that Leopold was out of the picture, David was looking forward to reigning the way he wanted to instead of being undermined. While it felt good to be included in this, Regina couldn't say she wasn't clueless on what happened in these meetings or what her part was meant to be.

"Word is that King George is threatening us again," The dwarf named Grumpy stated with an ominous expression. Regina didn't know the history between the kingdoms but considering the way everyone at the table started glancing at one another she knew it couldn't be good.

"Why is he still trying to come after you? It's been years," The striking brunette in the red cape spoke up then with a frown. Regina had been told that the woman was a granddaughter to Granny and lived in their old homestead on the outskirts of the village.

"As long as George is alive he will come after David," Granny piped in, not bothering to look up from her knitting, "No one that's crossed him as lived besides our King. It's a pride thing."

"I'm not worried about George and his empty threats," David spoke up, addressing the entire table. There were a couple dwarves, knights, and kingdom officials Regina did not know the names of yet. "He's spent all of his money starting wars and trying to get revenge on me. Besides, he has no heir and he won't live forever."

"I'll add a few more guards to post around the kingdom and land, just to be safe," A handsome young knight around the same age as Regina spoke up, looking at her with an earnest expression, "I know the Queen enjoys riding."

Regina smiled appreciatively at the kindness, flattered that anyone there had noticed her at all. She felt David reach for her hand in her lap, threading his fingers through hers under the table, "Very well," He agreed and flashed a smile at his beautiful bride who adorably did not even realize she had an admirer in the young man.

"That's all on the agenda for today. You're all dismissed," He nodded approvingly at everyone, he and Regina staying seated as they all stood and bowed before leaving. "Red, I hope you stay with us for a while, this weather is too nasty to be out there in the cabin by yourself."

Regina watched the woman give a breathtaking smile, making her suddenly feel a little inadequate. She knew it was petty but she was also slightly irritated at the King for blatantly asking a beautiful woman to stay under their roof without consulting her.

"I suppose I could if Granny will put up with me," Red grinned, giving the old woman beside her holding her knitting supplies a gentle nudge in the side.

"I could use an extra set of hands around here," Granny retorted over her glasses, "Come on girl we'll go get you a room prepared."

Regina watched her husbands eyes follow the red coated woman out of the council room, leaving just the two of them, "So how well do you know _Red_?" She asked in a casual tone before hearing him chuckle and throwing a glare his way.

"Regina..." David caught the clipped voice she'd used, finding the flash of her jealous streak incredibly endearing.

"Well excuse me for wanting to know who my husband invites for a sleepover," She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, turning red with anger when he laughed at her again.

"Regina," He said firmly but his amusement was still evident, reaching over to grab her chair arm and slide her towards him, "Red is like a sister to me, we grew up together."

She simply sat there with narrowed eyes and pouty lips, arms crossed and not believing him, "Well she's a striking woman, I find that hard to believe you look at her and feel nothing."

"You're striking, too," He grinned, reaching over and picking her up, pulling her into his lap seeing her mouth drop indignantly, "And if I'd been able to do what I'd planned to do to you this morning you'd have no doubt that you are the only woman I want," He spoke near her ear in a husky tone, making her shiver before he nipped her earlobe and tickled her with his stubble.

Regina caved, giggling and squirming to pull her neck from him, "Will you be gone all day today?" She asks when she looked at him, pouting prematurely for she knew he usually made rounds to his knight posts and army camps to create morale with the men and give them updates after council meetings. He was a good King and it made her proud the way he looked after their help and the people of the kingdom.

"Unfortunately, yes," He returned her disappointed glance, wrapping his arms around her waist, "But you'll have Granny and Emma here and maybe you'll even get to know Red. I'd love for you two to get along," He suggested, half expecting her to get testy with him again.

"We'll see," She sighed before her expression became more troubled, "What's your history with King George? Why is everyone worried?"

"It's a long story," David hesitated, seeing her brows furrow in concern before he continued, "I had a twin brother...and while struggling with keeping the farm afloat, the Dark One made a deal with my parents to give my brother James up. King George couldn't have children of his own so he needed a baby and he raised James, but he ended up dying in a fight when he was a teenager. So George came back and threatened me with my mothers life if I did not go with him and pretend to be my brother whose life he'd already planned with an arranged marriage and the throne," David shook his head and frowned, "So despite already planning to marry Snow I left, but when my mother died he had nothing to hold over my head so I escaped and came back. He's tried to get back at me countless times for it ever since."

Regina watched him in shock as she processed his story and felt instant guilt that she'd ever dealt with Rumple when her own husband had such a broken story because of him, "So you're in danger."

He watched her brows draw together in fear and knew she was thinking about her past and what she'd already lost, "Hey," He cupped her chin and made her look at him, "I'll be fine, but you're sweet for worrying," He smiled warmly at her.

"You promise?" She swallowed hard as she looked at him, her stomach swirling at the thought of losing someone else she cared so deeply for.

"Promise," He replied with a serious gaze before rubbing his thumb over her jaw gently, leaning in to kiss her for a long moment, "Hmm as much as I hate to, I should go."

"As much as I want to keep you all to myself I know I can't," She pulled away slowly and stood, straightening her dress before reaching for his hand and giving him a smile that he'd think about all day, "I'll see you out."

* * *

"Why are we cleaning these?" Red frowned and held up the candelabra Granny had she and Emma polishing, "I haven't seen these out in years."

"It's the Queens birthday on Friday," Emma smiled with a hint of excitement as she dutifully shined one, "My Dad found out and wants to throw her a party. She doesn't even know we're aware though. I think she'll be pleased."

"How did I get wrangled into this though? I don't even know her," Red pouted playfully and groaned as Granny brought over the good silverware, plopping it on the table in the servant quarters and adding to their chore.

"You should get to know her, you two would get along," Granny sat down on the bench across the table from them.

"I don't know she was giving me quite the look when David invited me to stay," Reds eyes widened glancing at Emma, "Honestly if looks would kill I would be dust."

"Yes well this one was nasty as could be to Regina when she first got here and she hasn't got the warmest reception from the kingdom," Granny defended nodding towards Emma, "So you can't blame her for being wary."

"In my defense you didn't like her either at first," Emma frowned lifting her chin.

"She doesn't like anyone," Red laughed, grabbing another candelabra to polish as Granny inspected the last one she cleaned for spots, "So if the old wolf approves of Regina I should too."

"Yes, you should. You're David's best friend so you two better make nice. She's making him happier than I've seen him in a long time," Granny raised a brow at her granddaughter, "Why don't you go find her and talk to her? Keep her away from the great room while Emma and I move all of the China and decorations in there. Go on."

Red sighed but knew her grandmother was right, glancing at Emma with a smirk before standing to go out, "You all owe me," She called out on the way before making her way to the servant steps.

She surveyed the first floor with no sight of Regina before navigating the grand staircase that led to the second . Her canine abilities allowed her to hear movement in the tower above Regina wing, so she made her way towards it. She smelled a human as she neared the tower entrance and she knew this must be where the Queen was stowing herself away for the day.

"Whoa," Her eyes surveyed the room when she reached the top of the spiral staircase, seeing book cases lining the large space. It was decorated with antiques and bottles of various colors and plants in each window. She glanced over to see the Queen in the middle of the room at a large table with wide eyes, quickly making a fist to extinguish the fireball that she was practicing in her palm.

"It's cool, I don't have a problem with magic," Red could tell the other woman was unnerved and saw her visibly ease, "I mean I can't judge, I'm a wolf."

"I'm sorry, what?" Regina's interest perked as she watched the gorgeous woman come towards the center of the room.

"Werewolf," Ruby shrugged, plopping herself down on one of the stools at the table, "Granny is, too. Well, she was. It fades over the years but she still has a killer sense of smell," The woman smiled at her in almost a flirty nature and Regina could sense from the way she was looking at her that David was telling the truth about there being nothing between them.

Regina stared at Red for a minute, her lips parted slightly in surprise, "I'm sorry, I've just never actually met a werewolf before. Can I see it?" She asked curiously.

"God no, I lose all traces of humanness," She let out a breath, picking up one of Regina's crystals on the table to look at, "That's why I live on the outskirts of town. I chain myself up at night so I know I don't hurt anyone."

"What do you do when you stay here?" Regina was fascinated by the idea, having read a little bit about werewolves in one of the books she'd ordered. Still, she saw a hint of a burden on Red's shoulders when she talked about it and Regina understood.

"Granny locks me in the dungeon cells in the basement," She shrugged, glancing up at the Queen who was staring at her with intently. If she had to guess she would say she saw the wheel's turning in Regina's mind.

"I understand how you feel, when I first started to experience my magic I couldn't control it," Regina found herself relating to David's childhood friend, hating the fact that she felt that instant bond and David would gloat to no end, "I feared what I would do to people by accident, that's why I started to teach myself."

"I don't even remember what I do, but my family's just always chained ourselves up and dealt with it," Ruby frowned before seeing the Queen bite her lip and raise a brow as she processed it all. _She started to understand why David was so attracted to her._

"I think I could help you," Regina stated before turning to go over to one of her bookshelves, dragging her finger over the book spines before she found the one she was looking for, "This book has the history of your kind, I think if I do some research I can maybe figure out a way to help you control it."

"Seriously?" Red leaned her elbows on the table as Regina brought the book to it and thumbed through the pages.

Regina was feeling more and more confident in her abilities as she taught herself and honed her skills. Hearing Red's struggle and understanding how she felt made her want to help her, and based on what she'd learned so far she thought she probably could, "I'm not promising it will work out, but I'll try."

Red smiled at how willing the Queen was to help her without really knowing anything about her. _David was a lucky bastard_. "Lets do this."

* * *

"This looks amazing, Granny," David smiled to himself as he surveyed the great hall, seeing the table adorned with decorations and place settings. "Thank you for taking care of all of this while I've been busy."

"My pleasure," Granny smiled, propping her hands on her hips as she looked over her handiwork before pulling the doors to the great room shut.

"I ordered the cake from the bakery in the village and all of her gifts from us should be delivered at the same time," He nodded, exhaling and wishing it was already tomorrow evening. The fact Regina hadn't told him of her upcoming birthday was proof that she never really celebrated it and he wanted to do something special for her. He wanted her to know how much her presence was valued here.

"You going to keep her out of the castle tomorrow while we cook dinner?" The older woman asked with a quirk of her brow.

"Yes, how have you managed to keep her out of the main floor today?" He asked with a laugh. Regina was typically always with Emma and Granny if she wasn't in her tower practicing magic. The trio had grown quite close and it made him ridiculously happy.

"Oh, she's trying to help Ruby find some magic that may be able to help her with her shapeshifting," She nodded, reaching to undo the apron she'd been wearing while she cleaned, "They've taken to each other quickly."

"Seriously?" He raised an eyebrow in disbelief, though he supposed there were some similarities in the two women close to him. They were both sweet but had a feisty side, both a bit jealous, both funny. It was natural they'd get along but he hadn't expected it for a while due to them both being stubborn as hell, too. "Where are they now?"

"In the dungeon doing research."

"What?! At this time?!"

"Don't worry Red locked herself in the cell and I've sent Emma down a couple times to check on them. Do you take me for a fool?" Granny looked up at him testily for his tone.

"No, of course not," He put a hand on her shoulder, "Its late though I'm going to go check on them. Thanks granny," He said sincerely, seeing her give him a nod before he made his way for the back steps.

He took the staircase down to the dungeon two at a time, seeing a guard posted at the bottom that made him feel a little better about his wife being down here. There were no prisoners in his castle, there hadn't been for years, but it was chilly and dark in the dungeon and he didn't like the idea of Regina being down there with Red in this state.

When he rounded the corner he saw his wife sitting on a makeshift bed of blankets in front of the cells with a book in her lap. He smirked when she looked up quickly, seeing the excitement in her eyes when she pushed a finger to her lips to warn him to be quiet then gestured him towards her. She was passionate about her magic and it did his heart good to see her finding her purpose and using it for good. Quietly he made his way towards her, kneeling down on her blankets to sit beside her and looking across from him to see a sleeping wolf in the cell.

"I watched her transform, have you ever?" Regina whispered with awestruck eyes as she glanced at Red and back to him. He nodded 'yes' and smiled in response, wrapping an arm around her and tucking her against his side. She sighed and looked back to the sleeping wolf, "It's magnificent."

"What are you doing here?" He asked, resting his chin on her head as he looked down at the book in her lap and cuddled her to him.

"Seeing how a little bit of sleeping potion helps her," Regina nodded, "After she transformed she was growling and snapping at the bars, so I threw a piece of food with the potion in to her and it calmed her. If this potion continues to help her I can try to create a spell from the ingredients that would allow her to control her actions when she transforms," Regina explained everything in a whisper as to not to disturb the wolf, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"So I take it you two made friends today, then?" He asked quietly and saw a smirk on her face.

"Let's just say after spending some time with her I believe you."

"Oh god, she didn't flirt with you, did she?"

"Not exactly. So she...?"

"Yeah, does that weird you out?"

"No, I've just never met anyone who was...a wolf," She glanced at him and grinned at the double meaning, "She's funny. I like her."

"She's all right," David laughed and pulled his fur lined shawl over her at the damp air, "It's chilly down here. Why don't we go to bed?"

"I want to observe her all night. I want to make sure she doesn't wake up or turn violent again."

"Regina, you can't stay down here it's freezing," He raised an eyebrow and watched her look up at him with a quick pout that made him press his lips into a line. _Damn her and those big brown eyes._

"David, I told her I'd help her..." She frowned.

"I can't let you sleep down here," He raised an eyebrow, seeing her brows knit together in irritation as he reached for the pile of blankets to the side of them, "...or I can't let you stay alone," He rolled his eyes, giving into her as he unfolded a blanket and saw her smile brightly in his peripheral vision.

"Lay down," He smirked when he looked back at her smug expression, seeing her shut her book and lay it back in her basket before lying down on her side. He settled down behind her, pulling a couple of blankets over them before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him, "Do you know how many nights this is going to take? Because my back won't survive this," He grinned, nuzzling his face into the back of her hair.

"You just want back in my bed," She replied playfully, curling into him feeling more than content that he'd given in. That he supported what she was doing and would rather be uncomfortable down here with her than to tell her no or sleep without her.

"That too."

* * *

Ruby awoke to an aching in her body, frowning and lifting herself off of the floor into a sitting position. She yawned and glanced over to where Regina had been, grinning when she saw the King and Queen. They were laying in a mountain of blankets, Regina's head was tucked into his neck and she was cuddled up so tightly to David that Red was a little envious of her best friend. David's arm rested over Regina's waist and she almost laughed out loud at how whipped the King must be to agree to camp out in his own dungeon to humor his wife's research.

"Hey, can you two lovebirds let me out of my cell?" She asked after clearing her throat, seeing them stir. The Queen rose to a sitting position and turned her head to smile sleepily at Red.

"You changed back."

"Yeah, thank god," Red chuckled and brushed the straw off of her cape, "Wake up David," She rolled her eyes at the way he wrapped his arms around Regina's waist and laid his head in her lap.

"I'm awake," He muttered without opening his eyes, causing both of the women to look at each other and roll theirs.

"Really David," Regina blushed, never having him be so openly affectionate in front of someone else, nudging him onto his back to rise and let Red out of her cell.

He only laughed and folded his arms under the back of his head, "Want to go for a ride today?" He asked, watching her push the cell door to the side for Ruby to step out.

"Do you think we could get out without Granny knowing?" Regina perked up instantly at the thought of a ride. She hadn't told anyone that it was her birthday because she never really celebrated, but she didn't hate the idea of being with her most loyal pal, Rocinante, today.

Ruby cast a coy glance over at David, knowing that he was using it as a way to get Regina out of the house, "Yeah of course, she has me to fuss over. I'll tell her you all didn't sleep last night and that you're upstairs in bed," She offered her unneeded cover.

Regina's eyes sparkled at the idea of Red covering for them. David sat up from their bed and gave her a smirk, "Go change into your riding clothes, I'll bring your things up. Meet at the back entrance in twenty minutes?"

His wife nodded, flashing a smile at her newfound friend, "See you later."

"See you," Red nodded politely, watching the Queen disappear up the steps. When she turned David was already standing, folding up the blankets and gathering Regina's books.

"Boy, you _are_ whipped," She mused, leaning back against the cell door and crossing her arms to watch him.

"Yeah, yeah," He smirked, throwing a blanket at her face before picking up the basket.

"I can't say I blame you though, she's a catch," Red grinned as they started for the stairs, "Can't believe she's actually into you."

David laughed before wrapping an arm around her neck and playfully pulling her towards him, rubbing his knuckles on her head, "Eat your heart out, Red."

* * *

"You look beautiful," David smiled, straightening up from where he leaned against the corridor near her bed chamber, waiting to escort her to dinner. She was in an off the shoulder dress, the periwinkle color contrasting with her skin tone and hair. She had very little makeup on and had taken her hair out of the braid she'd had it in while riding and pulled it to the side in a wavy pony tail.

Their day had been perfect; riding for a couple of hours before finding a place to rest and build a fire. They'd talked about their childhoods, about their past loves, about what they wanted for the future. He found she was most open in a setting like that, when it was just the two of them out riding, for nothing relaxed her more. When they came back they unsaddled their horses themselves, Regina insisting that she wanted to brush Rocinante down on her own to make sure it was done right.

It was almost dark with the short winter days when they got back to the stables, but the snow on the ground lit the way for them to get back in the castle. He loved watching the mischief in her eyes as they snuck in, slinking up the steps and running the rest of the way too her corridor in fear of Granny, though the old wolf knew exactly what they were doing. He'd kissed her and then let her change for dinner while he did the same before returning to wait for her.

"Thank you," She smiled and wrapped her arm around his when he offered it to escort her. He had to bite his lip to keep from beaming, knowing everyone was downstairs in the great hall and waiting for her.

"I had a great day today," He glanced at her with a genuine smile as he led her down the steps, going slowly so she didn't trip on her gown.

"Me too," She mirror his warm expression as he led her down the foyer towards the great hall, "We're having dinner in here?" She frowned in confusion.

"That's what Granny said," He gave a shrug as if he didn't know why they would either. Biting his lip once again not to give himself away, he reached out for one of the large doors, pulling it open in front of her.

Regina gasped at the sight before her, staring at them all for a moment. A beautifully decorated table in the middle of the room was occupied by her friends Thomas and Ella, Granny and Emma and Red. There was a three tier cake in the middle adorned with roses and music in the background. She vaguely heard them call out _'surprise'_ but she was too touched to react accordingly.

David watched her stare before turning to gaze up at him and the vulnerability in her expression nearly broke his heart. Her eyes welled with tears as she troubled her bottom lip and her brows furrowed together. He could tell no one had ever done something like this for her, but it was all he wanted to do. A rush of anger flitted through him at the though of how sorely Cora had neglected and emotionally abused her. He hoped he could help heal those scars.

"You...did...th-is..for me?" She swallowed hard and a tear slipped over her lashes and down her cheek. He pulled her a little closer, smiling over her shoulder at the people at the table who watched them adoringly.

"I did," He whispered to her, running his hands over her back soothingly, "With a lot of help from everyone here. Happy birthday, my Queen."

She lifted her head to give him a watery smile, quickly swiping under her eyes before nodding once and letting him lead her over to the table. He pulled out her chair for her, having her sit before scooting her in and taking his seat beside her.

"Come on, girl," Granny smiled warmly at her from her seat, "We have food and wine and cake, enough of that." The older woman made the table laugh and helped Regina relax. She found herself exhaling her pent up emotion and smiling back at the older woman who always knew how to lighten the mood.

"Ella," They heard Thomas whisper at his wife stealing a bite of from one of the serving platters.

"I'm hungry!" Her mouth dropped at her husband with dramatic flair and the whole table erupted into laughter again at the comical young couple.

"She is eating for two," Regina defended her friend with a smile, reaching out for Ella's hand when the table started to chat and pass around the plates in an informal serving manner, "I'm so glad you and Thomas could come."

"David invited us for the weekend," Her bubbly friend replied with a bright smile, "You have no idea how hard it was to keep it to myself when we last saw each other." Regina laughed again at the idea of her overzealous friend bursting at the seams to keep her surprise birthday party under wraps.

"How are you feeling with the baby?"

"I'm over the sick part, now I just want to eat everything," Her eyes widened.

David listened to Regina and Ella's conversation about the pregnancy and smiled to himself at the thought of Regina carrying their child. He envisioned her with a rounded stomach, fuller breasts and an even more glowing complexion. The image had him finding himself getting choked up at the thought of what the future held.

Since Snow's death he had truly believed that he would never be happy again. He had Emma to keep him going, but true happiness was over when he lost his first wife. The fact that he was sitting here now, having such deep feelings for the woman beside him and getting a second chance at sharing life's most intimate moments with her overwhelmed him.

"Drink up, you're looking sappy," Red interrupted his thoughts as she grabbed the wine decanter and filled his goblet.

"Shut it," David smirked and leaned back in his chair, holding his goblet up to clink his friend's before taking a sip.

"I'm happy for you, in all honesty," His raven haired wolf friend said genuinely and he knew it wasn't very often she was serious. He gave an appreciative nod before turning to watch his wife again, seeing her interacting with her guests; smiling and laughing like she didn't have a care int he world. If it was up to him, she never would again.

* * *

The room was full of chatter and music, but Regina and David could only really focus on each other. Multiple decanters of wine had been served during dinner and throughout having cake and opening presents. Their guests chatted loudly and animatedly after imbibing themselves, making the King and Queen glance at each other and chuckle at some of them.

David ran a hand over Regina's thigh through her dress and felt her own hand rest over his. He was enjoying himself with their company but he couldn't wait to get her alone, and judging from the glances she was giving him she was getting impatient as well, "Let me know when you're ready for bed," He leaned in to whispers down her ear, making goosebumps break out on her skin.

 _She wanted him, God._ Between the night he had planned for them, the way his perfectly tailored outfit fit his big frame and the wine that flowed freely, her mind was reeling with things she wanted to do. Her face was flushed from the alcohol and her own thoughts when she glanced at him and bit her lip, seeing the intent behind his gaze, "I don't want to be rude," She whispered back, running her hand up his forearm.

"Honestly, I think we could sneak out," He leaned in and spoke down her ear, the volume of the background music covering their conversation. Not to mention their guests were all too boisterous to notice them whispering. "No one will remember tomorrow if they notice."

She gave a nod and bit her lip to suppress a grin, "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm going to go freshen up," Regina announced as she stood and smoothed out her dress. The wine had her feeling wonderfully warm and fuzzy and she gave them all a genuine smile before slipping out.

David gave it a moment, tapping his hand on the table impatiently before catching Red smirking at him, "Not a word," He raised a warning brow, glancing to the rest of them caught up in conversation as he pushed back his chair and snuck out the back entrance of the room.

"Let's go," He grinned when he jogged up to Regina who waited for him in the shadows of the hall, grabbing her hand and pulling her to run with him towards the grand staircase.

"Did they notice you?" She giggled breathlessly as they made it up the steps in record timing, running again when they reached the top going towards her corridor.

"I don't care," He grinned as they reached her room, panting when he pulled her in and locked her bedroom door, "I want you," He groaned, picking her up from the floor and carrying her over towards her bed.

Regina grinned when he threw her onto her back before crawling over her. She gripped the lapels of his overcoat, pulling him down to kiss him hungrily as she worked it over his shoulders. There was no doubt left in her anymore about going all of the way with him. When she was forced into the marriage she'd given up on having her first time mean something and be with someone she cared about, but now she didn't have to.

"You look so gorgeous tonight," He groaned against her mouth, shucking out of his coat and undershirt, "But how do I get you out of this thing?" He looked down at the dress that fit so well it looked like she was sewn into it. _He'd have to have a word with Granny if she started doing that._

She gave a coy grin before rolling onto her front and turning her head to the side, "Unbutton it."

"Fucking buttons," He said impatiently pulling each of them open down the seam on her back, "Fucking corsets," He smirked when he peeled the dress back and saw it. His nimble fingers started to deftly tug the strings loose as he leaned down, kissing over her exposed shoulder blades while his hands worked to undress her.

"Mmm, hurry," She bit her lip, the amount of wine she'd had and her thoughts at the table making her horny and ready for him. They'd fooled around long enough for her to know what she wanted. _What they both wanted._

He practically ripped the corset off when he got the strings undone, rolling her back onto her back and grinning at her as he gripped the dress and shift at the same time and peeled them down her body, "My god, you're perfect," He groaned as rosy nipples came into his view, followed by a taut stomach, round hips, toned thighs.

She lifted her legs and bent them a little to help him get the dress the rest of the way off, breathing heavily when he came back over her, "You're overdressed," She moaned, running her hands down to his hips to slip her thumbs under the edge of his boxers and push them down over his ass, using her feet to nudge them down his legs the rest of the way.

He groaned at the feeling of their bodies pressing together when he lowered himself on her, "Regina," He whispered, pressing his lips against her neck as his hands ran up her thighs. He felt his erection pressing against her slick folds and he could barely breathe, "Do you still want to leave?" He asked. He had to know how she felt about being here before they did this. _Before he fell all of the way._

She frowned, running a hand up the back of his head gripping his hair and tilting his head back to make him look at her, "No," She said seriously before leaning up to kiss him hungrily, wrapping both of her arms around his neck. A moan escaped her when he gripped her bottom and began to rub his length against her, coating himself in her wetness.

"Have you.…ever?" He whispered near her ear before kissing around it slowly, reaching down to grip himself and begin to rub his tip over her clit as he lifted his head.

She contemplated lying and telling him she had with Daniel, for she didn't want to come off naïve and inexperienced when it had been so steamy up to this point. But she knew he'd see through her lies so she bit her lip and shook her head _no_. Her lips parted when he continued to tease her clit with his tip, working her up even more and spreading her arousal.

"If it hurts or you want me to stop just tell me, okay?" He looked down at her with a gentle gaze that let her know he wouldn't be mad even if she did. Her heart threatened to explode at how intimate it was as she gave him another small nod, slipping her legs over the back of his thighs and spreading her own more for him.

"I'm not going to break, David," She smiled reassuringly at him when he glanced down between them hesitantly before looking up at her with a smile. He locked gazes with her, gripping himself and slowly pushing his tip inside of her. He watched her expression closely for any sign of pain, but he knew the wine and how wet she was would help her first time greatly.

"You feel so good," He whispered, pressing his forehead to hers as he gripped her hips and slowly started to push the rest of his length inside of her. Her eyes flickered and widened slightly as he did so, causing him to stop abruptly, "Am I hurting you?" He whispered, holding still inside of her.

"It's okay," She leaned up to start kissing him again slowly as she threaded her hands in his hair. He was stretching her and she did feel a bit of pain but it wasn't unbearable. His member was thicker and longer than she'd imagined, never having really seen one. "Keep going."

David groaned under his breath as he pushed himself the rest of the way, moving his lips to her jaw and down her neck. He kissed and sucked at the spots he knew turned her on and relaxed her, caressing his hands over her hips. He could tell the pain subsided when she brought her thighs higher, tucking her legs around his back.

"Try to relax and it will start to feel better," He nodded, breathing heavily against her skin as he started to move gently, not pulling out very far before he curled his hips back into her. Every fiber of his being was on fire at how wet and incredibly tight she was, making it hard to keep a slow pace.

She let out a soft moan when it started to feel good, cupping the back of his neck with one of her hands as the other came down his back to grip it. The friction between their bodies felt delicious, feeling his chest graze her nipples as he moved above her. His lips nibbled on the sensitive spots of her neck, causing pleasure to shoot downwards towards her stomach and make her start to throb.

"Mmm, that's it," He coaxed her, starting to move at a slightly faster pace as he pressed one hand against the mattress by her head to lift his own and look down at her, "You feel so amazing, Regina."

Her mouth fell open and her eyes closed tightly when he curled his hips as if he were thrusting towards himself, causing him to hit a spot inside of her that made an instant coil begin in her stomach. The way he gazed down at her was emotional and arousing all at once, both of them knowing that this was more than just consummating their marriage.

"David," She bit her lip, her brows furrowing in pleasure as she ran her hands down his lower back, digging her nails into it and starting to push her own hips up to his, "Mmm!"

He was right, she was going to be amazing in bed. It was her first time and she was already instinctually pushing her hips up to his, spreading her thighs wider for him. She also let herself feel the pleasure and chased it, unlike women he had been with before who'd been taught to be proper and not act wanton. But he loved it; the way her brows furrowed, the way she bit her lip and her eyes closed, the moans that she choked on.

Regina gasped when she felt David bury his face in her chest, feeling his lips take one of her nipples into his mouth and suck on it, " _David…god…keep…yes_ ," She was mumbling senselessly, not being able to put a sentence together as she pushed her hips up, folding her legs against his ribs an squeezing his sides.

"Beautiful," He groaned against her breast, giving her nipple one last tug before pushing into her deeply, running his hands underneath her to grip her bottom and tilt it up tightly against his hips, "Come for me, my Queen," He whispered into her neck as he buried his face in it.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly crying out in response at the new angle. She clung to him, trying her best to move with him but he had their bodies pressed together as tightly as they would go, pounding into her at this point. She was crying out loudly now, her head falling back as her stomach coiled tightly, "Yes!"

He bit down on her neck hard enough to leave marks but she only moaned in response as her body contracted underneath his. She shuddered against him, causing him to groan loudly when her muscles clamped down on him and her nails dug into his back, scratching across the expanse. A scream permeated the air as her back arched from the bed and she clenched around him almost violently when she came. He continued to pound, through her hips squirming in his grip before he quickly came undone and called out her name when he found his own release.

"Fuck, Regina," He hung his head, letting his forehead rest against her shoulder as he held himself up to keep from crushing her into the bed. It'd been so long since he'd had that hard of an orgasm, the kind that can only come from being inside someone.

Regina let her head fall back against the bed as she stared at the ceiling, running her hands over the scratches on his back as her body came down from the high. She smiled at him when he lifted his head and looked down at her with the same expression of awe she felt much be on her own face. "Worth the wait?" She asked breathlessly.

He smirked at the hair sticking to her forehead, her flushed lips, heavy lidded eyes, his bite mark on her neck. "Absolutely, my Queen."


	13. Chapter 13

_ahaha as you all said, the deed is done, so prepare for mucho sexy times ;) it will be glorious for a while before it all goes to hell, so enjoy it. also sorry I did not post this last night, i had been up since 5am for work and had a terrible case of writers block. so i got up today and had some coffee and worked on this long update fo ryou. let me know what you think! xxx_

* * *

Regina's eyes opened slowly, feeling strong arms wrapped around her waist and warm skin pressed against her own. They were snuggled under the covers, oblivious to the chill of the room. She smiled softly at the realization they'd fallen asleep after making love. _Last night had actually been real._

She slowly rolled her body over to face him, watching him stir but stay asleep. Her heart swelled as she took in his messy hair, his perfect chiseled jaw, the way his strong arms stayed wrapped around her even when he wasn't aware. For once in her life she felt safe. In him she had a best friend, a protector and a lover.

Her face flushed at the thought of last night and what they'd done. At some point in the night she'd gotten up to go to her bath chamber, cleaning herself and freshening up. She was a little sore but she was sure it would pass soon.

David was still sleeping, but Regina was ready for him to be awake. She felt playful and warm, wanting to please him in the way he had pleased her multiple times. She snuggled up to him, slipping her leg over one of his and leaning down to pepper his chest with kisses.

"Hmm," He groaned softly, his body shifting in the bed as he rolled more onto his back.

"Good morning," She smiled coyly as she watched him start to wake up. His eyes were still closed so she was brave enough to take a chance, flicking her tongue over his nipple in between kisses.

"God, woman," David groaned at the feeling, his eyes coming open to see his young wife teasing him awake, "You're going to be the death of me," He smirked, reaching up to run a hand over her hair and tuck it behind her ear.

His arm that was wrapped around her waist snaked down, his hand cupping her ass and giving it a squeeze. Her chest was pressed up against his side as her soft lips worked over his own chest and stomach. David stirred already at the realization that they were both still stark naked, her nipples pressing into his skin as they hardened.

"I want to please you," Regina admitted, lifting her gaze to look at him seriously. Her palm rested on his stomach, propping herself up on her right elbow as she looked down at him.

"You do, Regina," He smiled warmly at her, caressing her bottom with feather light strokes of his fingertips. Her body responded with an involuntary curl against the leg hers was draped over, making her press her sex against his thigh.

"No, I mean," She bit her bottom lip in hesitation, feeling a flush creep up in her cheeks at not knowing how to say it, "The way you did for me…I mean if you would want me to do that…" She averted her eyes.

"I would love that," He said with a husky voice, reaching down to cup her chin and make her look at him, "But only if you really want to do it. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"I want to," She replied, wanting to see if she could make him feel like he'd made her feel, "You just….have to show me how."

David had to stop himself from groaning out loud, biting down on his bottom lip as Regina shifted, her nipples grazing his stomach as she came to lay more over his mid section. She was so inexperienced but so incredibly sexy and willing. He couldn't wait to teach her everything the newfound intimacy between them had to offer.

"Okay," He said, his voice so low it was barely above a grumble, reaching out to run a hand through his hair.

Regina bit her lip as she moved her hand down his stomach under the covers, grazing her fingers over his abs and exploring the abdominal v of his pelvis. He gave her a lazy smile when she glanced up and saw he was watching her get familiar with his body, returning a sheepish smile at him. She'd never really seen a fully naked man before.

"Hey, I want you to be comfortable with me, it's okay to be curious," He reassured her, propping himself up on one of his elbows to watch her. From the way she hesitated and flushed at blatant sexuality he knew she'd been raised to be ashamed of her own. If he did anything, it would be to change that.

Her husband watched her with an intent gaze as she slid her hand further under the covers, ghosting over his cock before taking it into her grasp. She delighted in the throaty groan he gave her when her fingers explored the length and width of it, caressing around the tip.

David groaned as he watched her, dark hair falling over her shoulder and nipples hard form the cold air as she sat up a little more. "Is that okay?" She asked with an innocent smile as she started to stroke him with her dainty hand.

"Perfect," He groaned, pushing the covers back from his lap to watch what she was doing. It was cold but he couldn't feel it, his blood was pumping south as he gazed at his wife.

Regina gave him a slight grin, feeling more confident as she started to do more of what he responded to. He seemed to like the strokes up his length, feeling him getting harder in her hand as he groaned. She glanced down at his member feeling heat come to her cheeks at the thoughts of how it had felt inside of her the night before.

He seemed to be enjoying it, but still she wanted to give him the same pleasure he'd given her. When she saw his eyes close she became brave again, leaning her head down as she gripped his base to run her tongue around his tip.

"Regina," He groaned loudly bringing a hand up over his face at the feeling. David avoided looking at her for a few long moments as he took a deep breath, knowing if he glanced down to see her mouth on his cock he'd blow prematurely.

Regina watched his reaction, feeling like it must be a good one with the way he was covering his face and his chest heaved faster. She didn't know what she was doing, but he seemed to like it, so she started to run her tongue slowly up his shaft, working her way around it's circumference.

"Fuck," David's jaw tensed, glancing down to run his hand into her hair, "You're amazing," He ground out with a quick glance at her, "Take me in your mouth, Queen."

She saw the desperation in his expression and knew he was feeling the same kind of pleasure she did when she'd begged him to keep going. It felt good to please him, to make someone as sexually experienced as him feel intense pleasure.

Regina gripped his based with one hand, the other running over his thigh as she slowly took him into her mouth. There was no way she could fit all of him but he didn't seem to mind with the choked curses leaving him. She pressed her tongue against his shaft and began to move her head up and down with the gentle guidance of his hand threaded through her hair. It was hard not to smirk when she shifted her eyes to see him with his head back in the pillows, mouth open and eyes squeezed shut.

David was going to explode at any moment, feeling his wife bobbing her head on his hard member. He lifted his head to look down at her briefly, seeing her full lips wrapped around him, her naked form in a cat like position as she leaned over his cock. _She was magnificent._

It was when she actually sucked down with those beautiful lips on his erection that he groaned loudly and let himself go. He tried not to jerk his hips much underneath her but it was a challenge with how quickly she'd gotten him there. "Sorry," He mumbled between breaths after spilling inside of her mouth, feeling her mouth contract around him as she swallowed hard.

"It's okay," Regina couldn't say it was pleasant to swallow but the reaction he gave when she did made it worth it. Besides, it wouldn't have been ladylike to spit it out. A grin appeared on her face at her thought, realizing nothing about this would be considered ladylike.

"What are you smirking about?" David grinned, reaching down to grip her arms and pull her body up to lay ontop of his.

"I was just thinking that my mother would faint if she knew how improper I've been with you," She grinned down at him, watching him chuckle as she felt his hands run over the small of her back.

"Hmm," He smirked, feeling her open her legs for him as she slipped her thighs over his sides, "I want you to enjoy it as much as I do. Your mother is a prude," He raised a brow, running his hands over her ass, gripping her cheeks and massaging them in circles.

Regina felt the heat building in her stomach at the naughty spark in David's eyes when he looked up at her. He had started to slowly grind her hips on his by his grip of her ass, moving it forward and backward in gentle motions. His reassurance made her feel at ease, for she knew whatever happened in their intimate moments would stay between them. The anticipation to explore her sexual side she'd repressed for years with someone she trusted thrilled her. It excited her to know she could do this with someone who was experienced and patient and wanted to teach her. Someone she found irresistible, as well.

"Regina!" Emma pounded on the door and David groaned quietly in frustration. If they were to have a real marriage people were going to have to stop interrupting them every moment.

Regina lifted herself to sit up on top of him pressing her hands against his chest as she did so, doing nothing to ease his stirring arousal, "Yes?" She called out.

"Granny said to tell you and father that your guests are waiting for you downstairs, "I can't find him, but I wanted to let you know," Her step-daughter said through the door and Regina had to bite her lip to keep from laughing when she looked down at David's smirk.

"I'll be right down," Regina called back, staying still and silent until she'd heard Emma's footsteps fade away, "Will you come back here tonight?" She asked with a curious smile down at David.

"Try keeping me out," He grinned leaning up to kiss her playfully as he sat up and grabbed her hips, "Go get dressed," He smacked her bottom and reveled in the laugh he got from her.

* * *

"Sorry to keep you all waiting," David smiled, coming into the dining room where his guests were sitting at. He almost laughed at how tired they all looked, except for Ella who had not partaken in the wine the night before and therefore sat as bubbly as she ever was.

Granny was nodding off with her chin resting on her hand, Thomas was staring at his eggs like they were his worst enemy, and Red still had straw on her cape from the dungeon. Even Emma looked a little worse for wear and he narrowed his eyes at her as he made his way to the chair, seeing the guilty look on her face as she quickly glanced down and gave herself away that she'd partaken in the party as well.

"How are you in such a good mood?" Thomas groaned and squinted his eyes at the light shining in the windows beyond David, pressing a hand to his stomach as the King took his chair at the head of the table.

"Cause he and the Queen snuck off last night," Red smirked at her best friend, causing Emma to cough loudly on her bite of fruit and the rest of the table to chuckle under their breath.

"I think I lost my appetite," Emma scrunched up her face and laid her fork down, "May I be excused?"

"Go on," David nodded before throwing a glare at Red, "Snitch." Ruby never could keep a secret, especially if it had the potential to embarrass him.

Red glanced up to make sure his daughter was out of earshot before continuing, "Hey we're all suffering because we were celebrating Regina's birthday and you took her away all for yourself and all we had left to do was drink. Rude."

"She's my wife, get over it," David smirked before glancing up when the topic of their conversation made her way into the dining room, not catching the way Granny smiled at his declaration.

"Good morning, everyone," Regina beamed, dressed in a flowy cream colored gown with the top half of her hair pulled back. She walked over to the chair putting a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from getting up to pull out her chair when he began to, taking the seat to his right that had become hers alone. "Thank you all for last night, it was amazing."

"Yeah, I'm sure it was," Granny piped in then with a smirk at the Queen who seemed different in more ways than one this morning. She knew the King and Queen had been fooling around lately and it had only been a matter of time. _Good for them._

Regina glanced at David questioningly as to what Granny meant when the table chuckled and the frown on his face let her know they'd been caught slipping out the night before. She felt heat rise in her cheeks as she quickly looked down and reached for her cup of tea with a sheepish smile.

"Granny," David said with a warning but good humored tone, reaching out to fill his and Regina's goblets with juice.

"Yes, Y _our Majesty?_ " The older woman countered with him over her glasses before smirking and reaching for her mug of coffee. Granny clearly meant no harm by her comments, but he knew how shy Regina was about things of that nature and he didn't want her to feel humiliated.

"Thomas, I was thinking," He glanced at his friend, deciding to change the subject completely and seeing Regina visibly relax out of the corner of his eye, "Should we get out of the ladies' hair for a while after breakfast? I wanted to check in at a few posts I wasn't able to earlier this week if you'd like to ride along."

"Sure, I know this one is dying to get Regina to herself for a moment," Thomas nodded towards Ella who smiled brightly and nodded, causing Regina to smile genuinely in return.

"What about you, Red? You want to stay here or go with us?" David grinned, knowing Ruby would have no patience for Ella's overzealous nature. Nor would she have any interest in what his wife and Thomas' would be talking about. His friend would rather be where the action was.

"I'll go with you guys."

"Very well. Thomas, are you done with your breakfast or would you like to stare at it some more?" The King mused, glancing at his Queen who smiled and shook her head at him making fun of his friend.

"I'm done," Thomas said with a quick nod and an expelling of breath, "I think the cool air might do me some good."

"I'll be back this afternoon, enjoy your day," David murmured near her ear before kissing her gently, causing a shy smile to appear on her face when he pulled back as she glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. He knew she wasn't entirely comfortable with public displays of affection because of Cora's disapproval of it and from her own lack of experience with it. _Hopefully he could get her past that._

"You too," Regina gave him a warm smile, watching him rise from his seat and head towards the door where Red and Thomas were waiting. He wasn't even gone yet and she already wanted him to come back, for them to sneak upstairs and crawl into bed and not come out. She couldn't wait to have him to herself tonight and continue what they'd started this morning.

"Oh, now you have to spill," Ella said with wide eyes as she glanced between David and Regina, seeing the way her friend was staring towards the door the King had just exited through.

The blonde brought her back to the present causing Regina to glance towards her, biting her lip to keep a coy smile at bay with the knowledge she'd been caught. She looked to the right of Ella where Granny had sat, noticing she had already left the table while she had been daydreaming, "I don't know what you mean," She lied rather blatantly, buying more time to decide whether or not to talk with Ella about it.

"Please!" Ella let out a laugh, reaching for another piece of toast, "Next time you want to tell me a fib like that, make sure you don't have a bite mark on your neck."

"I do?" Her eyes widened, reaching up to her neck quickly where she'd remembered David had nipped. The skin felt a little tender under her touch and she frowned, knowing there had to be a bruise there.

"Don't worry you can't see it unless you're up close," Her friend grinned and took a bite after spreading a bit of butter on the bread, "How was it?"

Regina found herself scanning the room to make sure they were alone before divulged, "I can't wait for tonight," She admitted with wide eyes, biting down on her lip before they both let out a laugh.

"Told you so. So David knows what he's doing? I always figured he would. Not that I've thought about it."

"Oh really?" She smirked at her friend and raised an eyebrow, "But yes, he knows."

"Did you...?" Ella asked quieter with a wag of her soft blonde brows.

"Did I what?" Regina leaned towards her in confusion.

"Come..."

"Come where?" She frowned when Ella giggled. Regina knew that her friend was ditzy at times and her conversations were hard to follow, but she was completely lost on this one.

"Oh, Regina," Ella let out an exasperated breath, "I thought I was an innocent. Did you not have any friends with questionable morals in school that you could learn about such things from?"

"My mother had a tutor school me at home," She gave a shrug and bit her lip, crossing her arms over his chest, "Are you going to tell me what it means?"

"Towards the end...Did you get the overwhelming feeling of pleasure?" Ella asked with a grin, "Where you couldn't really control your body for a few moments..."

"Oh," Regina clocked on, feeling foolish. The only person who'd she'd ever discussed sex with was Cora and she would barely consider that a conversation. It was more like Cora dancing around the subject and threatening her daughter to never partake unless it was to fulfill her wifely duties. "Yes, every time we've fooled around it's happened."

"That doesn't always happen for everyone, Regina. Most men have no clue what makes us do that. You're lucky."

"We were about to make love again this morning but Emma knocked on my bedroom door," She sighed wistfully, "But she didn't know David was in there, thank goodness."

"She probably does now. Red mentioned you two sneaking off last night in front of her and she left the table earlier."

"She what?" Regina frowned deeply, instant irritation sprouting inside of her at the wolf's admission, "Why would Red do that?"

"I don't think she realized that it was such a delicate situation," Ella smiled weakly, "Maybe you should go talk to Emma. I've had own experience with a step-mother and it can be rather intimidating. Though, you're nothing like mine."

"I should've stuck with my instincts on that mutt," She let out a deep breath as she referenced Ruby and bit down on her lip in frustration at the added complication she'd caused just when things were going so well. A moment passed before she looked up to surprise on Ella's face, "What?"

"I've just never seen your temper before," Her friend grinned, "You've always been so soft spoken around me. I like it."

"My mother never allowed me to express it when I was upset, without dire consequences, of course," Regina frowned, setting her tea cup down, "I guess I just got used to holding it in."

"Well you're Queen now," Ella gave her a smirk, "No one can tell you what to do now."

Regina studied her friend for a long moment, tilting her head to the side at the simple thought she'd suggested. She was right, she _was_ Queen. Her title gave her more power than Cora would ever have. Not to mention she had a husband who already had encouraged her to disregard everything her mother had drilled into her for years. Ironically, in the life she'd been forced into, she could finally be herself.

* * *

"I've been looking all over for you," Regina smiled hesitantly when she came into the stables, wrapping her shawl around herself tighter at the chilly winter air. Emma was there with her mare as she guessed she'd be, brushing her down and avoiding her gaze. "Getting ready for a ride?"

"Obviously," Her stepdaughter replied quietly, slicking the horse's coat where the blanket would go.

She studied the way the girl refused to look up at her, stepping closer and taking the horse's muzzle into her own hands to pet her absentmindedly, "Ella told me what Red said in front of you..."

It had to have been awkward for Emma to process the changing dynamic between she and the King. Regina wasn't sure of what she should be saying to the girl, but she wanted her to know that she cared. She'd had no experience at this sort of thing so she watched the princess continue to brush her mare and avoid Regina's gaze as she contemplated what to say.

"Emma..." Regina addressed her softly, staying near the mare's head where she stroked her muzzle, giving the girl space, "I just want you to know that nothing will change between you and your father. I'll never come between the two of you, I promise..."

"I'm not a child, I don't need him fawning over me," Emma glanced at her then with a frown. Regina could tell that her step-daughter's emotions weren't really directed at her, but the young girl didn't know what to do with them, "It's good that he's happy."

The Queen stepped forward then, reaching her gloved hand over Emma's to still her brush movements, "I know you want the best for him, but I also know how close the two of you are and that you feel he's all you have left. But I want you to know that I'm here for you, as well. For the things you can't talk to a father about," She smiled weakly, "I was close to my father, but I often wished I had a mother that I could share things with. And while I know I'm a poor substitute for your real mother, know that you can talk to me me and it will stay between us."

Emma's deep frown began to waiver as her eyes welled with tears, her facade crumbling at the Queen's kind words, "I don't mean to be a child about it, I just...I worry that if you and Father become truly married and start your own family that I..." She swallowed hard at the lump in her throat and Regina's heart broke for her, "I just don't see where I would fit into the picture."

"Oh, Emma," Regina's brows knitted together in concern as she watched a tear fall over the otherwise stoic Princess' face, "Come here," She wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her towards her. Regina herself wasn't entirely comfortable with hugs or affection, but she felt the need to comfort her. What Emma had just described, the worry and fear of being unwanted and unloved, was how Regina had lived her entire life. Her step-daughter needed to be held and reassured, so she did just that and the girl caved emotionally.

"You'll always have a place with us, I promise," She murmured into her hair, keeping one arm tightly around her as the other rubbed soothing circles on her back, "Besides, you're the only one who knows how to humor your father when he's being moody," Regina quipped to lighten the mood, smiling when the girl gave a teary laugh into her shoulder.

Emma pulled back slowly, wiping her face quickly, "I feel like an idiot," She smiled weakly.

"You're not," She reassured her, "David and I have been spending a lot of time together lately and it's a big change for everyone. I...care about him, deeply, and you," Regina found herself admitting, astounding herself. Nearly a year ago she despised the girl, blaming her for being forced into this life. She supposed now she owed her step-daughter much, for without her and that runaway horse, Regina wouldn't be here. _With people that cared about her._ "I want you both to be happy."

"Thank you, Regina," Her step-daughter replied quietly, "But it wasn't just my relationship with my father I was worried about..." Emma admitted and averted her gaze, "I felt like we were becoming good friends and now that you and father are sharing a room and always together I..."

"There will be times that your Father and I spend by ourselves but it doesn't mean anything changes between us," She smiled at the girl. Emma was only five or six years younger than herself but Regina felt many years older than her own age. Her step-daughter's childlike nature evoked a motherly instinct within her, "In fact, your Father and Thomas are still in the village and Ella is resting. Why don't we go on a ride?"

"I'd like that," Emma let out a breath full of emotion and visibly relaxed as she seemed to have gotten what she needed to say off of her young shoulders, "I'll help you saddle Rocinante."

"No need, saddle your own horse," Regina jested with a playful smirk, "Don't think just because I gave you a hug that I'm going soft."

"Tell anyone about me crying and you're dead," Emma bantered back with a raise of her brow, causing the Queen to throw her head back and laugh. _They were all going to be okay._

* * *

David smiled to himself, hearing Regina humming from her bath chamber and the sound of water sloshing every now and then. He wasn't sure if she was aware he had come into her bed chamber, but he made himself useful as he made his way over to stoke the fire and warm up the room for her departure from the bath. He added a couple of logs into the fireplace until he'd gotten a decent flame going again, straightening up and making his way over to the bed.

He supposed they'd continue to sleep together in her room while he maintained his own for dressing purposes, though this chamber would be plenty big enough for both of their things. Though, it was hardly considered proper for a King and Queen to not have chambers of their own. While he and Snow had shared his bed, she'd kept her own chamber as a dressing room to keep her things and and sanctuary of sorts. And of course, for appearances.

It donned on him then as he sat down on the edge of the large bed to remove his boots that he'd just thought of his late wife and hadn't felt the twinge of guilt that used to accompany it. Even though he was in Regina's chamber, preparing to slip into her bed and make love to her, it didn't feel like he was betraying Snow. A breath of relief escaped him at the realization that he was moving on.

His wife appeared then, giving him a breathtaking smile when she came through the door from her bath chamber. It had only been for an afternoon, _but god had he missed her._ She was wrapped in a bath linen, her hair pinned up on her head in a loose knot and her face void of any paint. Even this way she was stunning. _He was a lucky man._

"You're back," She made her way over to him with a warm expression, causing him to kick his boots out of the way and spread his knees for her to step in between, "I missed you."

"Missed you more," He replied with a huskier tone, reaching out to grab her narrow waist and pull her in between his thighs, smiling up at her when she leaned down to kiss him. Her delicate hands were still in between them, holding her bath linen wrapped around her as his own ran up her back and gripped the edge of it. She smirked against his lips and gasped at the air when he tugged the linen from her grasp and let it pool on the floor at her feet, his hands resuming their caressing of her back, bottom and thighs. "Cold?"

"Mhm," She whimpered against his lips in a way that made his trousers instantly tighten, his hands feeling the goosebumps on her flesh as he cupped her hips, his thumbs caressing her hip bones.

"I can warm you up," He grinned against her soft lips before dipping his tongue into her mouth and groaning when she instantly responded, running his hands down to her bottom and gripping her ass to pick her up onto his lap. They never broke the kiss as she assumed the straddling position, his hands kneading her bottom, delighting in the soft purr that came from her throat.

Regina was chilled but the heat inside of her was rapidly warming her up, moaning as her pebbled nipples grazed the coarser material of his shirt as she ran her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, "Why is it always me losing my clothes first?" She grinned playfully against his lips, pressing her forehead to his to look into his eyes and watch him give her that adorable smirk.

"You're going to have to be a bit more vocal about what you want, Queen," He raised an eyebrow at her, leaning back to shuck his own shirt over his head, feeling her hands come down to help push it up over his shoulders before he threw it off the bed. His gaze traveled up her body then, seeing her toned thighs straddling him, knees on the bed holding her sex just slightly above the bulge in his pants, her taut stomach tensed and her chest rising and falling with heightened breath.

"Fine, take off your pants," Regina demanded, giving him a seductive smile as she straightened on her knees, giving him more room to reach down and undo his pants with. He nearly groaned out loud at her implication, seeing the small triangle of space that her raised position gave between her core and the tie of his pants. Her naked form made him instantly hard and he reached down quickly to undo the tie of his pants, feeling his knuckle brush against one of her slick folds.

"Mmm," She emitted a soft sound, biting down on her bottom lip as she watched his hands undoing the tie, working it loose with the help of his erection that begged to be set free.

"Minx," David grinned up at her with a gaze so heated she thought it might burn a hole through her. He gripped the sides of his trousers when he'd undone them, lifting his hips off of the bed as much as Regina's position would allow and began to shuck them. She helped him then, reaching down to shimmy them down his legs, backing herself down the bed to stand momentarily and pull them the rest of the way off.

"Come here," He growled, reaching down to pump his cock once, twice, watching her crawl back up over him, "No, on top of me," He demanded when he saw her start to lay down beside of him, gripping her waist and pulling he back up over him, sitting her on his abdomen for the time being. The view was spectacular when he reclined halfway, the pillows behind him holding him at a forty-five degree angle, "I want to watch you."

She blanched immediately at the thought, feeling the heat rise in her neck that he simply grinned at, " _Oh_ ," A gasp left her lips when he reached down between them and his fingertips teased her bundle of nerves. Her hands immediately found his shoulders for support, swallowing a moan when he vibrated his fingers against her clit with fast, jerky movements of his hand.

It amused him to wind her up, watching her gasp and close her eyes and struggle with wanting to chase the feeling while trying to remain in control of her reactions. He wanted to make her lose control, wanted her to have no qualms with enjoying pleasure in his presence. Her nails dug into his shoulders where her palms were pressed against him, eyes closed and brows furrowed as her hips began to curl and squirm under his touch.

"You're dripping wet for me, Regina," David half groaned after a few minutes, slowing his fingers on her and making her open her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed now and she breathed heavily, a heated look in her eyes. His cock was painfully hard at this point, pressing against her bottom and begging entry into her core.

She watched with bated breath as her husband took his hand he'd just teased her with, slipping one of his fingers into his mouth to taste her. The erotic display made her stomach tighten and her clit ache when she heard him let out a groan of approval, "I love the way you taste," He looked up at her, hands coming down to her hips to lift her.

Regina glanced between them to see his cock spring forward as he held her hips above him with strong arms. He was big and she was almost intimidated for a moment before the throbbing in her clit beckoned her to reach down and grip him. She looked back up at him for guidance as she began to rub him against her slit to find the right angle for him to take her.

"Take your time," He whispered with a reassuring nod up at her, holding her still above him, "It's going to feel more intense this way," He warned. Regina pushed her hips forward slightly as she gripped his based underneath her, coating his tip before she pushed herself down onto it. David felt her knees shift under her to support her weight as she gradually took him, using his hands to caress her bottom and lower back.

"God, David," She gasped when she pressed her hands into his pecks, sinking down onto him fully. She bit her lip at the way he was stretching her and the foreign feeling of him again. It overwhelmed her, causing her to tense on him and her breath to catch in her throat.

"Relax, baby," He soothed her, running his palms up her stomach to her breasts, starting to massage them gently. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment when he began to thumb her nipples that were already hard from the cold air. She was slowly starting to unclench around his erection with his ministrations, bringing one hand back down to flick his fingers over her clit again. "That's it."

She let out a half moan, half whimper when her body began to accept him, "I'm sorry, it just..." Regina tried to explain breathlessly when she looked down at him. She wanted nothing but to please him but the new position was intense and Ella had told her that the first couple of times would be slightly painful at first. Her initial hesitance made her feel like she needed to apologize to him, for he was being so patient with her.

"Don't you ever," He looked up at her firmly, stroking her faster and feeling her hips start to move with his fingertips, "...apologize to me for that."

"I'm-" She started to say again before catching herself with a smile, biting her lip before letting out a moan and letting her head drop forward once she'd fully relaxed around him. The feeling was full and snug and she reached down to still his hand when his teasing of her clit became too intense. She knew if he made her come already she wouldn't be able to handle moving on top of him.

"You feel so good," David groaned as he watched his wife slowly start to feel the benefits of the position, running his hands up and down her thighs as she started to move on him slowly, "Fuck, Regina," He mumbled, his fingertips digging into her thighs as she pressed her hands into his chest again and began moving. He locked gazes with her, loving to watch her expression change with each knew feeling and angle she experienced.

"Mmmm," She let out a long moan when she discovered how good it felt to rock her hips up towards his stomach before pushing them down and grinding backwards on his cock, almost in a circular motion. Her eyes closed when she began to concentrate on the feeling, rolling her hips on him and keeping him buried deeply inside of her as she enjoyed the friction. It was entirely different to the first time but it felt amazing, her clit brushing against the base of his cock with each grind backwards.

He almost exploded as he watched her begin to lose herself, his hands resting on her thighs letting her control the pace and find out what worked for her. Just the feeling of being inside of her was enough for him. She'd soaked both of them, the skin between their hips slick, her stomach muscles contracting with each roll of her body, her perfect breasts being pushed together by her arms that were extended, palms pressing against his chest for support.

David bent his legs at the knee, pressing his feet against the bed as he began to thrust his hips up slightly, hearing her cry out at the sudden jar as her eyes opened and she looked down at him with utter shock at the jolt she felt. She began to grind her hips on him faster, whimpering and moaning under her breath as she glanced down between them where their bodies were connected before lifting her head and locking eyes with him, " _Yes_ ," She moaned and watched his eyes turn a few shades darker.

He growled and started to thrust his himself up into her, adding a jolt to the intense friction she created with her grinding movements. His hands traveled up and down her body when they entered the last throws, feeling a slight layer of sweat from her efforts and the room becoming toasty from the fire. Still she moaned loudly and continued to ride him, choking on her sounds when he hit her with his thrusts. Suddenly her nails dug into his chest and she cried out loudly, her back arching as she dug her hips into his and contracted around his cock violently.

"Regina," He groaned loudly, filling her with his own orgasm as he gripped her hips tightly and held her down on him. His eyes were closed as he tried to catch his breath, feeling her body collapse on top of his own.

"Hm," Regina felt like she could only make sounds, her mind swimming from the pleasure still radiated down her legs in a ripple effect. It was the most intense moment between them yet and she knew it was only the beginning of what their intimacy had to offer. She'd have to have a bit more to eat at dinner from now on if she was going to be getting this kind of a workout each night.

David ran a hand over his face and let out a deep breath, smiling when he turned his head to see the back of her own as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. "I guess now's a good time to discuss our bedroom arrangements."

"What do you mean?" Regina lifted her head slowly, giving him a lazy smile.

"Should I move in here with you or should I continue coming here to sleep and have my own room for dressing?" He asked, running a hand up to push her hair back from her face.

"Isn't it considered improper for us to share a room?" She smirked down at him playfully, knowing he didn't care at all about what was proper between them. His fingers and mouth had proven that much to her. Regina let out a laugh as his brows drew down at her in mock anger, "I want you in here every night," She purred, leaning down to press a kiss against his jaw. "And there's plenty of closet space."

He grinned, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist in a tight embrace, "It's settled, then."


	14. Chapter 14

_well... i'm too nervous after that winter finale so i had to escape from reality and get back into this fic where regina is happy because it seems like fanfic is the only place we'll see that. sorry for the wait, as i said in my Alternate Endings update, last week was soooo busy :( but hopefully this week allows me more writing time. let me know what you think! :) xxx_

* * *

"Come see us soon?" Ella reached out to hug Regina tightly and she found herself responding to the embrace, for she would miss her friend. Their carriage had been brought around to the entrance of David and Regina's castle and their luggage loaded into it. She didn't want to see them go or for the weekend to end, but she did look forward to having some alone time with her husband.

"I will," She smiled when she felt Ella's slight bump press against her, pulling back to put a hand on it, "Take care of yourself."

"David, it was a great weekend," Thomas nodded with a genuine smile as the two men shook hands, "Regina, thank you for being a lovely host."

"Thank you for coming," She smiled and nodded at Thomas, leaning into David's warmth when he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. They exchanged farewells with the couple before Thomas helped his wife into the carriage and they began their journey home.

"Think we could get away with sneaking upstairs?" David pulled Regina into his arms, smirking into her hair when she tucked herself into him to escape the cold air.

She grinned, tilting her head back to look up, "Is that all you think about?"

"Yes," He smirked in reply, biting down on his bottom lip as he kept his arms wrapped securely around her waist, fighting the urge to slip them lower since their were guards around.

"I think you and Emma should do something today," Regina stated more seriously, successfully changing the tone of their conversation, "She needs to know that nothing will change between you two. She needs her father."

He merely smiled at Regina for a moment, giving a solitary nod, "You're sweet," He leaned down to press a soft kiss against her lips before pressing his forehead to hers, "Let me at least get you in out of this cold."

" _Daviddd_ ," She yelped when he scooped her up into his arms, giving a hearty laugh that made his heart warm, "The guards are staring," She giggled, hiding her face against his chest.

"They better get used to it," He grinned, carrying her back up the steps to the front door as she wrapped an arm around his neck, "Thank you," He smirked at the guard who opened the door for them, seeing him try to suppress a smile at the king and queen acting like kids with crushes.

"You're impossible," Regina laughed with a shake of her head as he brought her into the castle, carrying her into the reading room instead of leaving her in the foyer.

"What are we doing in-" She started to ask when he let her down on her feet before he captured her lips with his own, pressing her against the wall behind her.

"Mmm, I just want you to myself for a while," He groaned and smiled against her lips before kissing her again, dipping his tongue into her mouth as his hands came to cup her face.

"You're insatiable," She whispered against his lips with a smirk of her own, loving how wanted he made her feel. His hands roamed her waist and back, pressing her against the reading room door as their kiss grew more urgent.

David gripped her bottom through the layers of her dress, lifting her up against the door slightly to bring her to his eye level as he kissed her hungrily, "Mmm, you look so good today."

" _Here_ , David?" She broke the kiss to look up at him with flushed lips and a devious sparkle in her eyes that suggested she was up for the challenge.

"Why not? It's our castle," He smirked in a way that made her stomach stir and attacked her lips with his own as he reached down to grip the edge of her dress.

"You do know there are other people who have to live in _your castle_ , too," Granny spoke up from her spot in the corner of the reading room, looking over her bifocals and setting her book in her lap.

"Granny!" Regina gasped and David snapped his head towards her quickly with a frown, "I'm so sorry."

He let her down on her feet quickly and tried to suppress a grin at the way his wife adorably apologized and hid behind him, "Don't apologize to that grump," He threw a smirk at Granny who merely chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"We moved your things into Regina's bed chamber today," Granny replied, putting a slip of paper in her book to mark her place, "So there will be plenty of time for that later."

"Thanks," David grinned at Granny with a shake of his bed before looking back at his wife who was bright red from the conversation, "Nothing gets by that old wolf."

"I heard that," Granny grumbled as she put her book back on the shelf, "Come in here interrupting my peace and quiet," She muttered in good humor, "By the way, don't get her in the family way, boy. You two need to spend some time really getting to know each other."

"Really, Granny?" David groaned at the woman's bluntness, letting out a laugh as he took Regina's hand and led her out of the library, "Don't be embarrassed. That probably won't be the last time Granny or someone walks in on us," He chuckled, pulling her into his arms in the hall.

"She'll say anything," She chuckled with a shake of her head and a light groan, resting her forehead in his chest.

"She's right though, I need to be more careful," David pressed a kiss to the top of her hair, "We don't need a child yet, you need to enjoy your age."

"Do you.…want children with me?" Regina asked, glancing down towards her feet before looking back up at him with an expression of uncertainty.

"Do you want children?" He asked, reaching down to brush a strand of hair back from her face.

"I.…I don't know, I didn't have a very good example, I'm not sure what kind of a mother I'd be," She smiled weakly, seeing his brows furrow in response.

"I think you'd be a great mother, you're nothing like your own," David nodded, understanding she wasn't sure how to respond, "I think we should enjoy each other for a while and then when we decide its time we can talk about it then, hm? I'm not against it."

Regina gave him a small nod and a faint smile, relieved he wasn't outright against it, "Go spend the day with Emma, I'll see you later," She said, lifting herself up on her tip toes to plant a kiss on his lips. Their growing relationship had her feeling more confident in being affectionate with him and the thought of having someone to steal kisses from made her giddy.

"Have a good day," He smiled, giving her hand a squeeze as he took a few steps back, extending his arm in hesitation to let go of hers before finally breaking away from her, "See you tonight."

* * *

"Can I come in, or up, or whatever?" Red raised an eyebrow when she reached the top of the spiral staircase to Regina's tower. The Queen was seated at her table, stacks of books and potions scattered around her. She was wearing a burgundy dress that was perfectly tailored and her hair was in a regal updo. She was already beginning to look more like a queen in the short amount of time Ruby had been there to witness her transformation.

Regina looked up from the book in front of her and raised an eyebrow at the woman, not particularly happy to see her. She had blabbed about her relationship at the dinner table in front of her step-daughter, complicating an already delicate relationship.

"Silent treatment? Nice," The wolf responded as she made her way over to sit opposite of Regina, "What's up with you?"

Her first instinct was to deny that anything was wrong with her, to keep it bottled up and keep the peace. But Ella was right, she was Queen now and she needed to be more assertive. David would back her and having his support gave her the courage to stand up for herself, "I could ask you the same question."

"Whoa, what?" Ruby chuckled, reaching out to pick up one of the jars in front of her and inspect the contents.

"Enough of that," Regina frowned, reaching out to take the vial and set it back down, "Don't bring up what I do with my husband in private up in front of my step-daughter. It's inappropriate."

"What are you-" The wolf started to frown before remembering what she had said, "Oh…Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't know Emma had a problem with you."

"She doesn't," Regina frowned, "At least she's trying not to, but it's an adjustment for everyone and I'd rather not have my business discussed casually at breakfast."

"You're right," Ruby nodded once, letting out a breath, "I just haven't seen David this happy in a very long time, I was just teasing him a little. But I wasn't thinking."

Regina hadn't expected such a reasonable reaction from Red. Adrenaline coursed through her at the fact that she'd actually spoken her mind to someone, had put her foot down. She could be her own person now, she didn't have to put up with things she didn't like, and her oppressor was no longer around to tell her what to do.

"So...you and David grew up together?" She let out a breath, changing the subject after she nodded. Ruby had apologized and she seemed like she meant it. There was no use in holding a grudge or flexing her power over Ruby...that was what her mother would do.

"Yeah, he was like a big brother to me, always looking out for me," She smiled at the mention of her friend the King, "Granny and his mom were great friends."

"What was his mother like?" Regina listened to Ruby curiously. She and David had discussed his past but when it came to his parents he did not go in depth and she hadn't pushed it.

"Ruth? She was the sweetest person you could ever meet. Nothing like her husband."

"David's father?"

"Yeah, he was terrible. Has he not told you about him?"

Regina shifted on her stool, leaning her elbows on the table, "No, just that they had financial issues and that he's already passed away, too."

"Oh," Ruby frowned and bit her lip, "It's not my place to tell you, but let's just say David is nothing like his father. I've seen him get angry, but he's always in control."

She smiled weakly at the thought of her husband growing up under the harsh hand of an abusive father, for she knew what it felt like. Cora's abuse was physical at times, but her mother was always quick to heal Regina if she went too far, but the lesson was always there. "I'll let him tell me in his own time."

"That's a good idea," Ruby nodded, grateful that her best friend had such an understanding wife. The woman was probably younger than Red herself, but extremely mature, more so than she was. "So, have you figured out how to make me less of a hound?" She joked to lighten the mood, "Or did I screw that chance up?"

"I think I may have come up with something that will work," Regina rolled her eyes with a smile, "I'll mix it up today and we'll try it tonight, how about that?" She sensed that Ruby respected her more now that she'd stood up to her.

"Sounds perfect, Your Majesty."

* * *

"I think you should send for Regina's dad to come visit," Emma glanced over at her father as their horses trotted through the trail on their castle land, "From the way she talks about him I think she really misses him."

"You're right," David nodded, smiling to himself at the thoughtfulness both of the women in his life had for each other, "I suspect Cora keeps a rather tight leash on Henry. If I send for him, she won't turn us down."

"Good idea."

"Thanks, kid."

"Dad, look," Emma frowned and pointed towards the mountains in the distance, seeing a green fog lingering over them, "What is it?"

He frowned as he studied the fog, sensing it was some kind of magic occurring. The fog certainly had never been a vivid green color before. Maybe he'd ask Regina, for she may have a better idea if it was magic related, "I'm not sure kid. We should get back, it's getting colder out here."

"Oh really," Emma gave an eye roll, suppressing a smirk. She could tell her father was anxious to get back to the castle and she had a good idea of why.

"What?" David glanced at his daughter, seeing the look she was giving him as they turned their horses towards the castle, "Spit it out, kid."

"It's just funny to see you so smitten," Emma chuckled before biting down on her lower lip, "I mean, I'm glad you're happy…I think it's what mom would've wanted for us… don't you?"

"I think so, Emma…" He felt relieved to hear his daughter say it. They shared a special bond because of Snow and he'd worried Emma would think he'd forgotten about her mother. "I've let my own loneliness affect you, this place has been sad for too long. Your mom would never want us not to live our life."

"Dad.…" Emma hesitated, watching his profile as their horses walked next to one another, "I have something to ask…"

"Anything," He nodded once, glancing her way to smile.

"I...I've been thinking and…I want to join you next time you go on your rounds to the knights' posts," She saw the look of surprise on his face, "I want to do something useful, not just wear a pretty dress. Like mom wanted to do, if only Leopold had let her."

He noticed the way his daughter called his ex-father in law by his first name instead of 'grandfather' and he felt sad for her that she had to lose another family member, "It's not typical of a Princess to be involved in such affairs…I'll consider it."

"Please," She let out a breath seeing him mulling it over.

"I said I'd consider it, I'll let you know," He chuckled and shook his head. It wasn't that he didn't think she was capable of learning about battle and running an army, but it was a dangerous task. Soldiers and knights could be crude and their posts weren't exactly where he'd want his daughter to be spending her time. Still yet, she was a royal and it would be her kingdom some day. He wanted her to be a strong ruler and not held back because she was a woman. "Let's get home, Princess."

* * *

"Can I join you?" David knocked on the door frame to get her attention, seeing Regina in the middle of her bath chamber soaking in the large tub. She lifted her head from the rim of the tub to glance his way, a smile spreading across her face.

"Sure," She watched him as he came further into the bedchamber, biting down on her bottom lip when he shucked out of his jacket. His wide shoulders were accentuated by a fitted white cotton shirt underneath that he was now beginning to unbutton and it captured her attention.

David grinned a little when he glanced up from where his fingers worked on his shirt, seeing Regina watching him as she troubled her bottom lip. He could see a hint of lust in her eyes that made him start to undo the buttons faster until he was shrugging out of it. "I missed you today."

"Me too," She gave him a small, heated smile as she sat up in the deep tub, scooting towards the middle. His eyes traveled down towards her breasts submerged in the water and felt himself stir in his cotton briefs.

Her instinct was to cover herself when she saw him looking at her, but she fought it. He was her husband and she wanted him to be aroused by her and she quite liked the attention when she'd let herself. It was Cora's voice in the back of her head threatening her to act like a lady that made her hesitate. Her mouth went dry and Cora's voice was muffled out when David pushed down his shorts, standing fully naked before her.

"Since you're always complaining I'm overdressed," He grinned cockily at her as she assessed the view, letting her eyes travel over his body. His entire frame was muscular and lean, and the vee down to his groin made heat grow in her belly.

"Hm," She grinned, her cheeks tinging pink as he came closer and stepped into the tub behind her, "Granny is going to scold us both," She giggled when he sat down and waters splashed over the sides as his tall frame bent to fit in the tub. His legs extended down the sides of her own as he pulled her to sit in between them.

"I'm not scared of that old wolf," He grinned, running his hands over the flat of her stomach as he pulled her back against his chest and leaned down to begin kissing at her neck. Her hair was pulled up in a disheveled knot on her head, making it easy for his lips to find all of the spots she wanted him to.

"Mmm, I think you are," She smirked and tilted her head to the side, her breath hitching when his tongue found her earlobe.

"I've thought about you all day," His voice was husky in her ear and made her shiver despite the warm water around them. She leaned back against his chest, letting him nip and kiss at her neck and jaw as her hands ran down the outside of his thighs, resting on his legs.

"Did you think about me, Regina?" He whispered, his hands ghosting up her stomach to her breasts, cupping them in his hands and beginning to tease her nipples with his fingers.

"...Yes," She managed to reply with a shaky breath, feeling his member beginning to harden against her lower back.

"You know what you can do when you think of me, but I'm not here?" He sucked down on her earlobe, feeling her slowly beginning to relax into the act as he gave her pleasure.

"What?" She tried to sound normal but her breath was hitching each time he gently tucked or squeezed her nipples, both of them rock hard as he cupped her breasts and kneaded them.

"Touch yourself," David saw her swallow hard at his words when he tilted his head up from her neck a little, saw the red flush over her chest and in her cheeks, "Have you ever touched yourself?"

"N..no," Her chest was rising and falling more quickly now and he groaned inwardly at the thought of teaching her, "You mean the first time you ever came was with my hand down your riding breeches?"

"Yes," She admitted, grateful that Ella had explained to her what that meant before tonight. The thought of his hand between her legs made her clit throb harder and ache to be touched, "David… _please_ ," She whimpered, reaching for one of his hands in an attempt to push it down between her thighs.

"No, darling," His voice was smooth, vibrating in her ear, "I want you to do it, learn how to please yourself for when I'm not here to do it for you."

"I.…I don't know how," Regina turned her head to the right far enough to shift her gaze up at him. His eyes were a dark blue now and the evidence of his arousal poked her in the back. _And she hadn't even started yet._

His large hand came over the back of her own, his fingers lining up over the top of hers as he guided her hand down between her legs, "Just do what feels good," He coached her, pushing two of her fingers over her bundle of nerves, "Relax, Regina. Don't be ashamed of your body or what you want."

She swallowed hard and gave a curt nod, feeling him begin to guide her hand in circular movements on her clit and she had to admit it was doing the trick. The friction was a godsend after how hard she'd started to ache when he was talking to her.

"That's it," David watched her head fall back against his chest after a few moments, guiding her fingers in slightly faster circles over her sex. Her lips were parted as she breathed heavier, eyes closed and legs splayed. He brought his own knees under hers, making her legs fall on the outside of his own before spreading his, opening her up more to herself and hearing her let out a moan of appreciation, "You are so beautiful, My Queen."

She relaxed into the position, feeling deliciously spread apart and increasingly aroused. The heat in her belly curled and coiled and she began to work her fingers over herself even faster, whimpering quietly, "… _Oh_!" She gasped when David's own hand moved down her slit, pushing two of his fingers inside of her.

"I want to hear you Regina, I want to hear you moan when you cum on my fingers," David coaxed her, knowing she just needed a little nudge to embrace her sexual nature. He watched her stomach muscles tense as she began to rock her hips on his fingers, adding to the friction. His gaze traveled down between the valley of her breasts, watching her delicate fingers rub desperate circles on her clit.

"... _David,_ " She moaned loudly, digging the back of her head into his chest as she moved her hips harder when he began to thrust his fingers in and out. For a moment she opened her eyes and glanced down at she and her husband's hands, both working unison to pleasure her. It felt sinful and absolutely heavenly at the same time, "..I'm...almost.. _there,_ " She barely recognized her own voice when she spoke. It was lilted and shaky, an audible expression of how her body felt at that moment.

"I can't wait to be inside of you," He groaned into her neck, pressing his face into her skin as he thrust his fingers harder, feeling her begin to tense around them. Lifting his head so he didn't miss watching her, he witnessed her mouth form an 'o' shape as her eyes shut, brow furrowed and a choked moan escape her when she clamped around his digits, " _Fuck_ , yes," He egged her on, watching her back arch and her body convulse and a deep cry escape her mouth.

"Mmm," She murmured after a few moments when her head fell back against his chest, eyes closed and breathing heavily as the tremors ran down her legs and her sex throbbed from the aftershock of her orgasm.

"I hope you realize I'm not done with you," He smirked into the skin of her neck and heard her laugh. It was a beautiful, carefree sound that was accompanied by a sated smile and heavy lidded eyes. _God she was stunning._

"I would hope not, my King."


	15. Chapter 15

_If you haven't follows me on IG yet ( theharpergrey) please do and let me know if you are one of my loyal reviewers on this site. I love being able to communicate more easily and hear your thoughts on the updates. Btw sorry this is a shorter one, but as always, please review :) xxx_

* * *

"Is that one?" Regina whispered with wide eyes and David had to keep himself from laughing at loud at how seriously she was taking it. She looked adorable in her brown leather vest with the fuzzy neckline and large belt around her waist. Her hair was in a simple side braid, tendrils falling loose around her ears. She was entirely focused on her first hunt and he loved watching her experience it.

"Yes," David whispered back, seeing her fumble with the large bow and arrow that was built for him. He tried not to laugh again as she clanged the bow off the tree they were crouched beside and crunched leaves under her feet, completely unaware of the noise she was making.

It was a crisp Sunday morning and not much activity was happening in the forest. They'd sat in their hiding spot between a tree and a bush, waiting to see an animal and the moment had finally arrived. He'd made the mistake of mentioning going on a hunt when they woke up that morning and something to the effect that it wasn't a proper thing for a Queen to do. David was only joking, but of course the little spitfire beside of him couldn't back down from a challenge.

She'd nearly jumped out of bed, insisting that she was going and that she could do it just as well as he could. He couldn't help but laugh when she rifled through a trunk of clothing and found her most plain pieces to wear, mumbling that she was the Queen and she would go hunting if she pleased.

"Here," David moved onto his knees behind her, wrapping his arms around her own and showing her how to place the arrow on the bow, "Now once you get an idea of your aim you slowly draw it back."

He whispered near her ear but her eyes stayed glued to the deer in the clearing across from them. A grin crept up on his face when she gave a determined nod and started to pull the bow back with a shaky arm at the resistance. David helped her, keeping his arms over hers.

She constantly surprised him, his Queen. One moment she was the epitome of gentle femininity and grace and the next she was crawling around on the forest floor with him to partake in a gentlemen's sport. Regina was unlike any woman he'd known and he adored that about her.

"Once you get your aim, just let go," He coached her softly, slowly bringing his arms down from hers and leaving her in the position to shoot the bow. Her arm holding back the bow string wobbled a little as she wasn't quite strong enough for the resistance, but she bit down on her lip harder and seemed to steady herself.

He watched her brows furrow as she watched the deer, her one eye squinting a little at the aim. She looked as if she had a clear shot, but still yet she hadn't let go of the arrow and the deer began to stir, "Regina...?" He whispered questioningly.

"I can't," She said suddenly with a defeated tone as she brought the bow string back to rest, letting it and the unused arrow lay on her lap, "I'm sorry. I can't kill it," She smiled weakly at him with an earnest apology.

David's heart swelled in his chest for the woman in front of him and the beautiful innocence she inhibited. She'd been bound and determined to join him on a hunt just to prove to him she could do it and yet here she was, admitting defeat and apologizing to him for it because she couldn't bring herself to kill. It wasn't like he actually came hunting to bring back great game, it was more of a relaxing time for him, and it made it even more endearing that she was afraid she'd ruined it for him.

Regina tucked her head down when he didn't respond for a moment, snapping her head back up when he let out a chuckle loud enough to make the deer dart away, "What? _Daviiiid_ ," She pouted up at him, huffing and crossing her arms and averting her eyes towards the woods, speaking through gritted teeth, "Its not funny."

He suppressed a grin, placing the bow and arrow to the side on the ground, "You're adorable," He snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her up against him.

She melted into his embrace despite her frustration, sinking into the warmth his big frame provided in relief that he wasn't aggravated with her, "You're not mad we missed it?"

"I couldn't care less, Regina. I don't normally shoot anything when I come out here anyways," He shifted his legs underneath him, coming to sit back against the tree behind him and pulling her into his lap, "I love that you're so softhearted."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," She rolled her eyes with a smirk, sneaking her arms under his coat and wrapping them around his waist as she snuggled up closer to him, sitting sideways in his lap.

"Cold?" He asked, gripping the edges of his fur lined cape and wrapping it around her, cocooning the two of them underneath. She tucked her head into the bend of his neck, her body curled up against him and he inhaled the scent of her hair. His love for her hit him like a ton of bricks. Granted, there were still things they had yet to learn about one another but he knew he loved her.

"Mhm," She hummed, delighting in the warmth his body provided. "You know...we haven't...outside, before," She whispered against the skin of his neck before looking up at him with mischievous eyes.

"Have you forgotten you are a Queen?" He saw her expression shift to uncertainty before she caught onto his jesting tone, "To suggest such a wanton act out in broad daylight for all of the world to see," He added in a husky voice, keeping his jacket wrapped around them as his free hand ran over her thigh.

"Does the King not find the idea suitable?" She asked with a face of pure innocence as she shifted in his lap, slipping one of her thighs over the side of his own and bringing herself to straddle him. Her hands came up to play with the buttons on his inner vest and he smirked, letting his head fall back to watch her newfound confidence.

"Does it matter? The Queen always gets her way, especially in matters of this nature," David teased, running his hands up the thighs of her riding breeches to her bottom.

Regina grinned at him before leaning down to kiss him slowly, running her hands up his chest to grip his collar, "This isn't going to be easy," She whispered against his lips referring to her riding breeches with a giggle.

"But I do enjoy seeing your ass in these," David grinned, gripping her bottom and giving the flesh a firm squeeze, "Lift up a moment baby," He whispered against her lips, glancing down to undo the button on the front and begin to shimmy them down her hips.

"Imagine if Granny knew we weren't only out in the cold but half dressed," She gave him a grin, reaching down to pull the string of his own pants undone as he helped push her breeches down her thighs.

"I can't help it the Queen is insatiable," David grinned, assisting her in getting her breeches the rest of the way off. She'd completely untied the front of his own pants and he groaned when she gripped his member and gave it a pump with her hand.

"Perfect," He nodded and let his head fall back when she looked up for his reaction, seeing her bite down on her bottom lip to keep from grinning as she moved her hips back up over his lap.

"Here," David took his fur lined cape from around his back when he leaned up, draping it over her shoulders to cover her whole body when she crawled on top of him, "In case one of the premise guards show up."

She smiled breathlessly at his thoughtfulness, cupping his face and leaning down to kiss him hungrily as he gripped her bottom and adjusted her over his cock. They both groaned when his tip slipped against her slick folds, probing her.

"Mmm... _oh_ ," She moaned deeply when she sank down on him, lips pressed against his own and hands grasping his face. The cape hung heavily over her body and his, keeping them safe from the cool air and the heat trapped between them.

"You are so wet," David groaned in amazement as she sat on him for a moment, rubbing his hands over the rounds of her ass, "Was this your plan all along? Get me out here and seduce me?" He smirked.

"It wasn't to talk," She replied with a playful grin as she pressed her forehead to his and began to roll her hips, grinding herself on his erection with a loud sigh.

"Beautiful," He groaned, wrapping an arm around her waist as his other hand gripped her thigh, keeping his sex snugly enveloped inside of her, "Yes, baby," He coaxed when she started to move a little faster.

Regina's brows furrowed and she troubled her bottom lip, letting out a choked sound at the quick and heated pace they both fell into. One of her hands wrapped around his thick shoulders and the other cupped the back of his neck. Her knees dug into the ground on either side of them as she pushed and pulled her hips, riding his cock harder.

The discomfort that came with the first few times was fully gone now and Regina felt she couldn't get enough of the feeling of him inside of her. Her insecurities were lessening with each time and she had become more empowered to do what she liked, "I don't think I can...this way," She whispered breathlessly when the tree behind him prevented her from the angle she really wanted.

David groaned at the knowledge she was coming to know her body well enough to figure out what it needed and that she wasn't afraid to ask him for it. He held her to him snugly as he flipped them, laying her on her back on a bed of leaves, the cape underneath her and settling between his legs. Regina's head fell back with an open mouthed moan as soon as he pulled out and thrusted back into her and he knew she approved of the new position.

Her legs were clamped around his waist in a heartbeat as he braced himself on a elbow beside her head, his free hand gripping her thigh as he began to drive into her, "Come for me Regina," He beckoned her as she rocked her hips up into his and they both grunted and groaned and whimpered.

Her eyes were closed, the vein in her forehead visible as her back arched from the ground with every roll of her hips, " _Ahh_!" Her attempt at a long moan turned into a whimper and he knew she was getting close, feeling her whole body begin to tense underneath him. "More," She pleaded, her hands running down and slipping under the loosened waistband in the back of his pants to grip his ass.

"Fuck, Regina," He nearly growled at how adventurous and bold she was becoming with a simple gesture such as that. She pulled him deeper inside of her, her own thighs spreading wider in return as he rutted deeply.

A string of curse words flew out of his mouth when she suddenly cried out and clamped down around his erection, nearly pushing him out of her with how wet and hard she came. Her head thrashed from side to side, hands coming down to grip the cape underneath her as he thrusted a few more times before pulling out of her and coming against her thigh with his own loud groan.

* * *

Regina kept her arms wrapped around David tightly, enjoying the warmth as they shared Rocinante on the way back from the hunt. His cape was still wrapped around her shoulders but she'd draped the edges over his own and held them together at his front with her hands.

He probably assumed she was asleep right now, as she'd laid her head against the broad expanse of his warm back and enjoyed the cold winter day on the ride back. She felt so at peace with her life, she felt loved. It was a warm, all consuming feeling that she'd never had so fully or for so long before.

Rocinante brought them up in front of the double doors of the castle and Regina lifted her head reluctantly from David. She leaned back for him to dismount from her horse before he reached up with strong arms that gripped her waist and lifted her down in front of him with a warm smile.

A movement out of the corner of her eye brought her from their childlike grinning at each other, causing her to turn her head towards the opening castle doors. From behind them walked a familiar gray haired man with a warm smile and open arms.

"Daddy!" Regina felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest as she yelped and took off running in the least royal fashion, causing a wide smile to spread across her husband's face. His wife ran up the steps and threw herself into the older mans arms and he could see the joy radiating from both of them.

"What are you doing here? How did you convince mother?" Regina questioned quickly when she pulled back, her heart pounding wildly.

Henry smiled as his disheveled daughter, chuckling at her peasant like outfit and wind blown hair. She looked happy and vibrant and alive, so uninhibited that Cora would've had a heart attack to see her in this state. "David sent a few knights who came and requested my presence. Your mother couldn't refuse the King."

Regina glanced back at David who approached them and gave him a radiant smile, wrapping her arm around her father's. "Why don't you show him around? I'll let Granny know to set another place at dinner?" Her husband nodded and encouraged her, giving her the nudge to go spend time with her father that he knew she desperately wanted.

She gave him an appreciative look before escorting Henry inside, "Come out of the cold, I hope you haven't been here waiting long. Have you? Do you need anything?"

"My goodness child, no, I'm fine," He reassured her and wrapped a loose arm around her waist as they walked down the corridor, "How are you, my dear? Are they treating you well here?"

"They are, it was an adjustment at first but I've come to quite like it here," Regina admitted with an honest expression, leaning into his embrace, "Of course I miss you."

"I've missed you terribly," He agreed with a frown, kissing his daughter's hair, "I hated that we missed your birthday, but your mother was quite cross with the King about the way he'd been with her during her last visit and she said we would not come."

"I know there is no arguing with her. It's fine, really," Regina gave him an empathetic glance, "Come, I'll show you where you can stay."

"The castle is quite grand," Henry gazed around at the halls and the paintings and fixtures, "I heard Leopold no longer lives here, is that true?"

"Yes, he was...rude to me and David made him leave. It's just myself, David and his daughter Emma. And Granny, of course. You'll meet her at dinner. And there's the staff, they're all very nice save for a few."

"The King," Her father came to a stop in the hall and looked at her more seriously, "Is he good to you, my girl?" She could see a hint of worry in his eyes, as if he'd troubled himself over this for a while now.

"He is, Daddy," Regina smiled before biting down on her lip for a moment, "I'm quite fond of him, he makes me very happy."

"I'm so relived, sweetheart," He let out a deep breath, pulling her into another brief hug, "Come now, show me where I'll be staying in this grand home of yours."

"Look at you, being sweet," Red grinned and nudged David in the side with her elbow when he came into the great hall after watching Regina disappear with her father down the hall, happily chatting his ear off. "I don't think I've ever heard her talk that much."

"Me neither," David mused, taking off his cape and hanging it up on a nearby hook, "How are you two getting along with your shapeshifting?"

"We've tried a few potions, they help but it's not quite there yet. I still can't remember what I've done the morning after," His best friend shrugged and continued to set the placemats for dinner that evening per Granny's orders, "But Regina thinks she's onto something now so we'll see."

"She's getting better and better at her magic all of the time," He smiled proudly at the thought of his wife, causing Ruby to roll her eyes, "Jealous, Rubes?"

"To be honest, yeah," She joked, letting out a laugh at his expression, "And you're so getting it tonight after surprising her with her Dad."

"That's not why I did it," David chuckled and shook his head, leaning back against the doorway. Though he has to admit he was looking forward to dinner being over so that he could have her all to himself for the night.

"I know, that's the worst part. You're a romantic now, I think I preferred the old grumpy asshole you used to be. It was fun to rile you up and piss you off. Now you just have this permanent, dumb grin on your face."

"I do not."

"You do right now," Red deadpanned and raised an eyebrow, causing him to laugh again.

"You'll find love, too, Ruby. I promise," He replied more seriously, knowing she was lonely in her predicament and scared to get close to anyone. Besides, her orientation was not commonly open in this realm, which added another complication.

"Oh, so you love her?" She deflected with a teasing grin, letting her mouth drop, "Wait until Granny hears this!" She smirked, throwing a cloth napkin at his face when he started to come towards her, taking off for the kitchen quarters, "Granny! Granny!"

David threw the it to the side and laughed frustratedly, taking off after his friend, "I'm gonna kill you, Red!"


	16. Chapter 16

_hello everyone! thanks for sticking with me and being patient! i am currently training in a new position at work, so between that and holiday prep, my writing time has been scarce. although I'm still updating more than I have in the past, so I guess that's progress :) thanks for all of the love on my other story, Alternate Endings! it amazes me that it received so much love when I thought it would get lost in the forum at the beginning. You're awesome! Please read and review! I want to hear your thoughts, or even if you're still reading xoxo_

* * *

Regina had babbled on throughout the entirety of dinner, not even realizing it herself. There was so much she wanted to tell her father and talk about, and it was especially freeing to be able to engage him without Cora's interference. She loved her father, but he was much too weak to stand up to her mother.

Emma and David were the only ones who had joined them for dinner, Red and Granny opting to have their meal separately to let the immediate family get to know one another. Regina had insisted that they join them, but she knew Red wasn't very vocal around people she didn't know and Granny had politely declined, reassuring the Queen that her father needed to get to know her husband and stepdaughter without interference.

Emma and David had both been kind to Henry. Though quiet by nature, Emma had even spoken up, complimenting Regina's riding skills when they reached the subject of Rocinante and the stables. Regina had smiled, biting her lip in an attempt to not reveal too much of a prideful grin when her father praised her abilities and said she'd always been a natural equestrian.

Even though he barely got a word in edgewise, David was delighting in watching Regina run off at the mouth, talking with so much animation to her father who was listening intently with such love and adoration in his eyes. She rarely showed this side of herself so openly, was usually much more reserved until you got her one on one. He'd heard her ramble before, but it was usually with his head in between her thighs. _That usually got her talking._

"Isn't that right, David?" Regina looked at him with a smile, bringing him from his thoughts that had trailed more towards dessert. He cleared his throat and shifted in his chair, feeling heat in his cheats when he saw her father looking at him for a response, meanwhile he'd just been thinking of how soon he could get the man's daughter in bed. "What was that?" He managed a casual smile, reaching for his wine goblet.

"Thomas and Ella's ball next month," She smiled with a quick raise of one brow, biting back a smirk at the look on her husband's face when she'd caught him staring off. She recognized his expression, could tell his mind had taken him elsewhere. It caused a flutter in her stomach to be the only one who knew the content of his thoughts when he looked that way, for it was so subtle that no one else would. As silly as it was she almost felt proud.

"Oh, yes," David gave his most genuine smile, "Its very grand. Thomas and Ella love to entertain, they met at a ball, so it holds special meaning for them. You should attend with us, Henry. It will be an affair to remember."

"Oh, I'm much too old for that kind of thing," Henry chuckled, giving a shake of his head, "I can barely stay up past the dark hour, anymore. Between my two goblets of wine and a full belly, I'm near retirement right now."

"It is nearly nine o'clock, it seems we lost track of time with all of this good company," David chuckled in agreement.

"Nine?!" Regina gasped quickly, causing the three of them to look at her with confused eyes. She glanced at Henry and then to David, "I told Ruby I'd come down to the dungeon to lock her in the cell, we're going to try a new potion."

Henry coughed on his sip of wine, looking towards his daughter with concern before glancing at David as if to ask if he approved of whatever the Queen was up to, "Lock who in the dungeon? Regina..."

"No, it's nothing like that," She glanced back at her father with a reassuring smile, "I'm helping David's friend control her own brand of magic...at least, I'm trying to. I lock her in there to protect her from herself while we experiment," She explained and he seemed to relax.

"Very well, I'll have one of the chamber maids get a fire started in Henry's chamber while we have a drink before retiring. How long will you be?" David asked his wife as he began to scoot his chair back, seeing Emma stand and curtsy before slipping out.

"Oh, I'm going to stay down there tonight to monitor her," She nodded adamantly, causing David to remain seated for a moment, feeling Henry's eyes on them from his own seat.

"Regina," David hesitated before replying, "You can't continue to sleep in the dungeons with Red, you're going to catch a cough down there. It's too damp." He was worried about her down there with Red, didn't see why she needed to be there the entire night...and of course, he was looking far too forward to getting her under the covers of their large, soft bed.

"David," She started back at him with the same reprimanding tone he didn't even realize he'd taken on, a defiant look in her eyes. Her entire life had been controlled by someone and now that she'd found her freedom, she resented any attempt at dampening it, "I will be fine, I'll be done by early morning. You know Ruby is an early riser. Plus, the maids always bring me down plenty of blankets."

David felt himself being backed into a corner, saw Henry's eyebrow raise at the idea of his daughter sleeping in a dungeon. David understood that, hell, he didn't want her down there anymore than Henry did. He felt he had to say something as her husband, to show Henry he was looking out for his daughter, but he feared Regina may shy away from him or put her wall back up if he tried to tell her what to do. This would look bad on him either way.

"I can't allow you to keep spending the night down there, it isn't proper for a Queen," He frowned a little more firmly, seeing her eyes widen as she sputtered.

"Since when do you care what's proper for a Queen? You didn't care much this morning in the forest when-"

"I'll be excusing myself for bed," Henry piped in then as he pushed back his chair and cleared his throat, forcing an understanding smile at David before leaning down to kiss his daughter's head, "Goodnight darling."

"Goodnight, father," Regina replied with a softer tone before narrowing her eyes back at David, waiting for her father's footsteps to fade away before continuing, "When you had me on the forest floor, bare from the waist down."

"Well to be fair, you didn't much care for propriety at that point either," David smirked and soon realized that it was the wrong reply, seeing her brows draw down over her eyes in anger that he was not taking her seriously.

Regina stood abruptly, knowing she was probably being childish but not caring at this point. She felt safe enough with David to know that even if they argued, if she disagreed with him, he would do her no harm. So she wasn't about to let him tell her what to do, or not take her seriously, or be condescending. The first eighteen years of her life had been enough of that.

"Don't tell me you can't allow me to do something," She glared at him now and David leaned back in his seat, letting out a breath and glancing towards his wine goblet.

"Damn it, Regina you know I didn't mean it like-"

"I don't care how you meant it! You know helping Ruby is important to me and it should be important to you, too!" She guilted him, knowing it probably wasn't entirely fair but she was beyond fighting fair at that point. He had spoken to her like a child, like she didn't know what was best for her. Similar to the way Cora had spoken to she and Henry, and David had done it to her in front of her father. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a prior commitment. Contrary to your belief, not everything revolves around you."

David's lips parted in surprise, watching her storm out of the dining hall towards the servant staircase. He let out a loud breath, reaching for his goblet of wine. Was sleeping in a dungeon more appealing than sharing his bed tonight? Picking up the decanter, he refilled his wine glass and proceeded to feel sorry for himself.

Logically he knew why she was upset. He'd tried to tell her what to do, hadn't supported something she cared about, which was helping Ruby. She'd lived under the thumb of a controlling person for her entire life and he'd told her she could do whatever she wanted here. He had reassured her that he didn't care about roles or expect her to be a certain way because of her title. Yet, he'd just used the Queen card against her. In front of her father.

But if he hadn't? Henry would've surely thought David did not care about Regina. That he wasn't looking after her properly. That he wasn't protecting her the way he should be. It was important to him that he made a good impression on Henry, especially considering how dear he was to Regina. Had she ever considered that maybe he was slightly nervous and eager to reassure her father that he was treating her right?

David continued his pity party, sipping his wine and sinking into his chair at the head of the empty table. A blonde maid came in sometime later, one that looked familiar but he wasn't sure why, to gather the empty dishes for washing. She smiled when she saw him, giving a curtsy and a flirty smile 'your majesty' floated from her lips.

He only gave her a polite smile before pushing his chair back, deciding it best to remove himself from any awkward situation. It wasn't uncommon for the chamber maids to flirt with him, for he would often hear them giggle and whisper whenever he would enter or exit a room. It wasn't something he took seriously, most of these girls were the same age of his daughter, from peasant villages nearby and trying to improve their station in life. Of course they would throw themselves at a king.

"G'night," David said in good manners as he walked past her, trying to seem a little more sober than he was.

"Are you all right, your majesty?" She purred, turning to him with an empathetic look in her eyes that was clearly an act. Stepping in front of him, she added, "I heard what happened. Do you wish for company in your chamber?"

David looked down at her a little stunned. She was one of the older maids, probably mid twenties, and was far from the young and innocent facade she was painting, "No, I'm quite all right, thank you," He replied and watched her brows draw down. _Oh god,_ _it was her._ The chambermaid he'd let go down on him one night when he was inebriated, sitting in the chair near the fireplace in his bed chamber.

"That's not what you said last time, Your Majesty," She giggled, reaching out to fiddle with a button on his suit.

He felt ashamed that he'd ever let her do that in the first place, especially now that she continued to serve in his castle, with his new wife unaware. It was awkward, he had no reason to be cruel to the girl, for he had consented at one point. As much as one can consent after two decanters of wine on top of blinding grief. "Things are different now, I am married and happily so," He reached out to gently nudge her hand off of him, "Excuse me."

* * *

Almost an hour had passed. Regina had helped Ruby in the cell and locked it, had given her the potion and watched her transform. She seemed less aggressive this time, had calmed faster and was now curled and sleeping in the straw. The wolf had been asleep long enough for Regina to spread out the pile of blankets the maids brought down, cuddling up on the mound and covering herself with a few.

She couldn't sleep, she was too frustrated. As much as she wanted to be down here helping Ruby, she also wanted to be upstairs. Making up with her husband. In more ways than one. It was torture.

Regina knew she'd overreacted. She could've gotten her point across without huffing and puffing like a child. In retrospect, it did seem like an odd thing to be doing, even more so for her father who had no idea why she'd be spending time in a dungeon. David had invited her father to visit, after all, and he'd probably been meaning to make a good impression. Letting her sleep in a dungeon was probably not on that list.

Ruby was asleep, would most likely stay that way. Temptation to slip out and go upstairs ate away at her, causing her to sigh and roll with her back to Red, face towards the other cell on the opposite side. What was wrong with her? She was like a lovesick puppy.

She missed him already. Although she knew he wasn't faultless in this she wanted to make it right with him. Knowing he may be upset with her filled her with longing to appease him. This was not good. If she gave in this easily, she'd forever be a doormat. No, she would not go to him yet. She would not crawl into their bed naked and wake him with kisses, would not slip her leg over his waist and grind her...

Her thoughts were interrupted by footsteps near her bed, causing her to look over her shoulder and startle when she saw him crouching down towards the blankets. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," He whispered, kneeling onto the bed when she rolled onto her back.

"What are you doing down here?" She bit at her lip, trying to sound indifferent when he gripped the edge of her cover, still kneeling as he looked down at her.

"I'm ready for bed," He suggested, more like asked, and then stayed silent for a long moment.

She eyed him, seeing the serious look on his face before she replied, pushing her limits, "It's upstairs."

"No, it's wherever you are."

Regina bit her bottom lip, glancing down at the covers before back up at him, reaching out to hold them up. He gave her a half smile, crawling under them and cuddling up against her, "I'm sorry, Regina," He sighed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her body closer to his.

"Me too," She turned her head to the side before rolling on her side to face him, "I just...I overreacted. You're always so even tempered, so fair. I have this fear that it's only because this is new, and once the newness of me wears off then you'll be frustrated by me. That you'll see that maybe my mother had reason to be controlling. That maybe she wasn't as harsh as she-"

David scoffed, giving her a firm frown, "Don't you ever think that anything your mother did to you was warranted. I'll never consider you a burden or a frustration." He watched a tear slip over the apple of her cheek, prompting him to cup her face and brush it away with his thumb. "In fact the only good thing she's probably ever done is that she brought us together. I promised you I'd never let her harm you again. And you certainly don't ever have to fret that I will treat you as she did."

"I know that, logically, I do," She swallowed the lump in her thrust as both of them talked quietly as not to wake Ruby, "But when you said you could not allow me to do something, in front of my father, it just felt like history repeating itself."

"Regina," He let out a breath, pressing his lips to her forehead as his arms tightened around her, "Im so sorry. That was never my intention. I simply saw him observing the conversation and I didn't want him to think that I wasn't properly looking after you. I wanted him to know I was concerned for your well being and that I wasn't just some selfish King who considered you property."

Regina's heart warmed, hearing him explain himself. It was what she had expected, the reasons behind his actions, but the fact that he hadn't been able to stay away from her, that he'd caved and came to her first, told her everything she needed to know, it meant everything to her. A stark realization blossomed in her chest as she looked into the blue eyes that had started to feel like home in the past year. _She_ _loved_ _him_.

"Should we promise that no matter what we argue about in the future that we never go to bed angry?" He asked when she didn't respond, a warm smile on his lips as if he could read her expressions, like he knew the emotions that were filtering through her and respected her enough not to pry.

"I think that's reasonable, or I'd never get any sleep," She spoke after a few moments, letting out a pent up breath and giving him an emotional smile. He merely pressed his forehead to hers and grinned. If they were in the privacy of their room, they'd no doubt be making love, be making up for this brief and silly argument. Their first argument.

"Me neither," David whispered in agreement, snuggling her closer, "Goodnight, my Queen."

* * *

"Are they always this tardy for breakfast?" Henry joked, smiling at his step granddaughter as they shared breakfast in the dining hall, neither King nor Queen joining them yet. He feared it may be awkward when he'd come in to see her, but there was a familiarity in the girl that reminded him of his own daughter.

"Always," Emma smiled and gave a playful roll of her eyes. The man across from her seemed gentle and kind, and like he'd genuinely be so behind closed doors. At first she'd expected him to be like Leopold, putting up a front but sinister deep down. Yet she hadn't seen an ounce of that. The way he talked to her step mother was similar to the way her own father spoke to her. Full of love and adoration. She was glad Regina had that from at least one parent.

"Regina always loved to sleep in, that is when Cora would allow it," He smiled, applying butter onto his piece of toast, "But I do enjoy the mornings, I'm usually up rather early."

"Me too," Emma nodded matter of factly, taking a sip of her juice, "Its when I can get the most peace around here. No tutoring lessons, no social commitments. In the summer I like to sit on my balcony and read as the sun rises."

"I bet it's lovely out here," Henry nodded, "What do you like to read?"

"History, mostly," She gave a shrug, looking up at him as if she maybe shouldn't have admitted it, "It's hardly considered a genre for ladies, but I love reading about wars of the realms, and rulers, anything to do with the past, really."

"I love history," The jolly man nodded with a genuine smile, "I studied it at finishing school. In fact, I took a peek into one of the libraries on the wing my bed chamber is in, and it looks like the castle has quite the selection of books. Any good historical ones?"

"Hundreds," Emma's eyes lit up, reveling in the fact that Henry didn't seem to find anything unladylike about her fascination with war and battle. Leopold had caught her once in the weaponry room, admiring a bow and arrow of her father's, and scolded her, saying it wasn't for a woman to know about. Apparently her mother had taken up archery during her rebellion against her parents, and her grandfather was none too pleased. "The one near father's chamber has the best."

"The what?" David asked with a yawn as he entered the dining hall, rubbing a hand over his back as he walked, eyes suddenly spotting Henry and straightening his demeanor, "Forgive me for being so late. Regina will be down in a moment."

Emma's gaze raked over her father's disposition. Wrinkled clothes, the ones he'd worn yesterday, actually, and messy hair. Not to mention the way he was holding his back and gingerly setting down. Had he been drinking again? "Are you feeling all right, father?"

"Yes absolutely, I'm fine," David nodded before letting out a groan as he dropped in his chair, feeling the muscles of his back cry out, "Damn dungeon floor got the best of me," He grumbled before remembering Henry's presence, looking up quickly with an apologetic smile.

Henry grinned at his son-in-law with the knowledge that he'd given in to Regina, not only allowing her to stay in the dungeon but sleeping with her. It spoke volumes of the kind of husband he was and the relief Henry felt was immediate, "I hope you recover soon, Your Majesty."

* * *

Regina made her way down towards the kitchens, in a genuinely good mood after the night before and first half of the day. It was nearing lunch time and she wanted to find Granny and Red to insist they join them for this meal, at least. Henry and Emma were preoccupied, David giving them a tour of his library and weaponry room, something they'd went on and on about during breakfast. It didn't appeal to her in the slightest; but she was happy the three of them were bonding.

"There you two are," She smiled, coming into the kitchen to see Granny at the wood stove and Red at the table, slicing vegetables.

"Come on in, girl. Make yourself useful," Granny snorted towards the table and Red rolled her eyes up at Regina in good humor. She was relieved that she and Granny were now close enough that she didn't treat her like a fragile Queen who needed to be fussed over, and instead felt comfortable enough to put her to work slicing potatoes.

"I was going to say I hope you join us for lunch," Regina said as she came over to sit adjacent to Ruby, picking up a knife and a spud, "Please?"

"Will you quit your fussin' if we do?" The older wolf asked without turning to look at them, but Regina could hear the teasing in her tone.

"Of course," She smiled, knowing she'd convinced her, "How are you feeling? Are you still retaining some of your memory from last night?" Regina turned more towards the younger wolf, not having seen her since they woke this morning in the dungeon.

"You mean when you and David kept me up with your whispering?" Ruby gave a toothy grin, "Yeah, some of it. I felt more in control, you know, without the rage that I normally feel."

"Were getting closer," She nodded in determination, "We'll figure it out soon, I promise."

"Thanks, witch," Ruby teased and gave a wag of her brows, "If we don't pretty soon you're going to have to make one of those chamber maids guard me so David doesn't throw a tantrum."

"Ha, I have one maid I'd like to feed to a wolf," Granny smirked and turned from the stove, bringing the kettle over to the table and looking at Regina over her glasses, "Don't worry, I got rid of that little hussy."

"What?" Regina smiled up at her in confusion, seeing Granny was rather satisfied in whatever she'd done.

"Molly, the one who came onto the King last night," Granny shook her head and let out a sigh, "Can't find decent help anywhere anymore."

"What are you talking about, Granny?" Regina's voice questioned more firmly, feeling her stomach turn.

The wolf's eyes widened over her glasses as she plopped down on the chair, realizing David hadn't told her yet, "Oh, perhaps you should talk to the King, girl."


	17. Chapter 17

_let me know what you think :) xxx_

* * *

Regina paced their bed chamber, fists clenched, muttering under her breath. David had ended up being called into a meeting involving military affairs and had left the castle grounds without so much as telling her. She was angry, she wanted answers. Granny had ended up telling her about the maid that had been suggestive with David the night before, saying she nearly walked in on it and had only seen them standing close before her husband had walked away. The old wolf swore the King would never do such a thing and had refused the maid, but insecurity still ate away at Regina.

If nothing happened then why didn't he tell her about the maid? If Granny was so sure that David had no interest in the other woman then why did she send her to work downstairs in the servant quarters only? Jealousy roared inside of her at the thought of him with another woman, at the thought of another woman even touching him. _Hell_ , even looking at him twice. She wanted to throttle her, to make the girl pay for her poor judgement. But then again, what if he enjoyed the attention?

Her eyes narrowed in irritation, rubbing her arms as she paced at the chill in the air. She brought a hand up towards the fireplace, shooting a ball of fire towards it and reigniting the logs that had burned out. It was a release to use some magic, to get a little of that pent up frustration out. Controlling her temper was never a strength of hers and she knew it, she was wired like her mother. Act first and apologize later, _and that magic felt good._

She swung open David's armoire with a flick of her wrist, glancing towards the door before sending his suit jackets flying across the room, landing on the floor in various place. It was satisfying, knowing how vain he was about his appearance. _Wonder if the maids would still find him so dashing in a wrinkled tailcoat?_ She smirked to herself, giving into that spiteful nature that had rested dormant inside of her for months.

"What in the hell?" David frowned, drawing her attention from her task as she looked up to see him shutting their bedroom door, "What's gotten into you?"

"What do you think?" She ceased her magic, crossing her arms over her nightgown as she turned to glare across the room at him. It was time, she had been waiting for this for hours.

He shook his head, walking towards her slowly, "Just tell me why you're upset, Regina."

"Maybe because you're being propositioned by women in this household and didn't even tell me about it!" Regina raised her voice, startling him with her anger. He hadn't seen her so hopping mad before. Sure, he'd gotten glimpses of her temper, but she'd never let it out on him full force.

"Now hold on," He frowned, reaching out for her arm that she instantly hissed and jerked away, taking a step back from him, "I didn't tell you because nothing happened, she's just a silly girl and Granny reassigned her downstairs so we no longer have to see her. Problem solved. I didn't want to upset you."

"If nothing happened why would I be upset when you told me?" She retorted, tilting her head to the side in irritation. He hadn't done anything to deserve her doubts, but the fact he hadn't told her had messed with her mind all day, pushing her to this point of petty paranoia.

"Oh, come on, you're being childish," He muttered, running a hand through his hair, "I only want you, Regina. I swear."

"Childish?" She gaped at him now, her neck flushed with anger, "So you never had anything to do with this girl? Never wanted her in that way?"

He hesitated for a moment, biting down on his bottom lip as memories of the night a few years ago when he'd let the maid suck him off. His guilt must have been written across his face because his young wife was practically levitating with anger when he flicked his gaze back up at her, "There uh...was this one time."

"What happened?" She grit out between her teeth, feeling her stomach sink. Maybe she wasn't as far fetched as she thought, maybe her women's intuition was simply telling her to ask some questions...and apparently she needed to, "David?!" She snapped when he looked at her like he'd been backed into a corner.

"There was this one time a few years ago I...we...I was drunk and she..." He stumbled on his words, staring down towards his boots and refusing to meet her gaze, "I let her pleasure me..that was it, I never had sex with her...So the other night after our argument, I guess she'd overheard, so she asked if I wanted her to...you know...and I said no, that I as married," He let out a breath, looking up at her then.

"I'm going to kill her," Regina raged, storming towards their chamber door when he stepped in front of her and caught her in his arms, "Let me go!"

"Regina, it's not worth it," He grabbed her forearms, looking down at her seriously, "I want nothing to do with her, you stubborn woman. Listen to me!"

"And I want to teach her not to mess with married men!" She snapped, looking up at him defiantly, tension radiating between their bodies that were only a few inches apart now. He was staring down at her with a heat in his eyes that was not there a few moments ago, one that made a fire ignite in her belly and distracted her from the whore in her basement for a moment.

"You're sexy when you're jealous," He said with a husky voice, keeping his large hands firmly wrapped around her upper arms as his gaze traveled down her neck and to the swell of her breasts under the thin fabric of her nightgown. He smirked when he saw her nipples hard, his gaze flicking back up at her eyes that were full of both anger and arousal.

"I'm not jealous," She denied quickly, her jaw tensing as he began to walk her backwards until her back pressed against the cold stone wall of their bedroom, "If you want some plain looking peasant who scrubs floors then you can have her, be my guest," She smiled fakely up at him, holding onto her anger stubbornly. It wasn't her true nature to talk condescendingly about someone or their occupation, which only proved to him that she was trying to hold up her end of the fight.

"So if I were to leave here and go to her now you'd do nothing?" David asked with a hint of a smirk, running his hands up her shoulders and down her chest slowly to cup her breasts, thumbs slowly toying with her nipples through the gown.

"I'd set you both on fire," Regina replied truthfully, her breath hitching when he teased her as she gazed up at him with a heated but serious expression. The look in her eyes made his cock twitch; it was possessive and hot tempered and horny. The fact that his sweet, soft hearted wife could turn into such a fiery little thing at the idea of him with another woman made him love her even more. _Made him want her even more._

"Good, because the thought of you with another man," David ran his hands down her waist and over her bottom, gripping it roughly and picking her up against the wall in a sudden movement, "It would make me go crazy," He leaned in and nipped at her neck, hearing her whimper and leaving a mark as he rucked up her nightgown.

"Don't ever keep something like that from me again," She warned him in a firm tone as her hands came to grip the lapels of his jacket, pushing it from his shoulder anxiously as he made her gown bunch around her waist. " _Mmm_ , did you hear me?" She gasped but tried to remain firm when he slipped a hand between her legs and probed her wetness with two of his fingers.

"I promise," He smirked as he held her up against the wall, feeling her hands come down to pull at the strings of his britches, "You're so wet for me Regina, how could I ever get bored of this?" He groaned, lifting his hand up to slip the tip of his finger into his mouth while she got him out of the confines of his pants.

Her face went red, her body flushed with heat at the image before her hands jerked the leather of his britches down in one motion. He groaned when his cock sprang to life, both of his hands coming under her thighs to hold her up against the wall as her own slipped down between her legs, gripping his shaft and positioning his tip against her folds. They both let out moans when he sheathed himself inside of her, holding her thighs up against his sides as he buried his face in her neck.

"David," She gasped out loud when he started to move, hands grasping at his bare back, feeling his girth so fully from the position. His lips were under her ear, his stubble scratching her neck deliciously, his cock stretching and filling her entirely. He held her up with ease but she wrapped her arms around his neck to get better leverage, beginning to curl her hips up to him as he thrust into her, adding to the friction.

"You're insane if you think I'd ever walk away from this," David groaned, lifting his head to watch her face as he thrusted harder, her body inching up the wall with the force, "You feel so perfect, I get hard just thinking about you. I want you all of the time, even when I'm sitting at the godddamn breakfast table with your father," He groaned, pressing his forehead to hers as he jerked his hips, driving himself deeply inside of her. His words came out breathless, his voice husky.

" _Oh,_ " She gasped, fingers finding his hair and threading through it as she curled her hips harder, faster, her stomach muscles burning from the constant activity as she found the rhythm that worked for her in this position. The tip of his cock began to touch something deep within her that made her choke on a moan suddenly, had him lifting his head to make sure she was alright before a grin spread across his face and he continued the angle, "Shutup," She barely got out before she cried out, head falling back against the wall and her mouth gaping when the head of his penis hit the spot with every thrust.

"I was wondering when I'd find that," He groaned to himself as he watched her, his jaw tense in an attempt to keep himself from filling her with cum. Her brows furrowed, lips parted like she was almost in pain as her nails dug into his shoulders, eyes screwed shut. She was practically yelping as he held her thighs, pushing them up towards her chest a little as he drove into her with more force, hitting the glorious button inside of her with precision.

He nearly came when she cried out, muscles clenching around his cock violently as her hips curled up from the wall towards him and he took the invitation to bury himself deeper, "Fuck, Regina," He groaned loudly as her hands flew to the back of his neck, pulling him tightly against her as her body writhed against his, hips undulating on his cock as she flooded him with arousal. Her body was trembling when it stopped convulsing, her arms tight around his neck and her face buried in his hair.

Her head lifted as he stilled almost completely, remaining hard inside of her, "Oh god," She whispered, a pink blush filling her cheeks when she glanced down between them, feeling her cum dripping from where they were joined, her body still throbbing from the intensity of the orgasm.

David merely smiled at the mess she'd made of both of them, finding her sudden embarrassment endearing as he leaned down to kiss her hungrily, "You're magnificent," He whispered, picking her up by her bottom as he carried her, towards the bed, cock throbbing inside of her with the friction.

"I'm so sensitive," She whispered, drawing her knees up towards her chest as he put her down and laid ontop of her, "It's almost too much," She whimpered with pursed lips, hips twitching underneath him as he remained still.

"I know, that's normal," He nodded, running his fingers over the side of her hair, "Let me know if you want me to stop."

Her breath was shaky as he slowly began to move again, not pulling out of her but grinding his already buried erection inside of her. She felt delirious from her first orgasm, her limbs weak in her attempt to grip the sheets beside of her, knees pressed against his ribs, "God, David," She moaned when he rolled his hips with more movement.

"You're so tight and wet," He whispered near her ear with a groan, brushing his lips over her earlobe and causing her to shiver. Her nipples pressed into his chest, the skin on skin friction winding her up tighter, the coiling feeling in her abdomen returning quickly thanks to her first orgasm, "I want to have you in every way, in every room of this castle," He rolled his hips and thrust into her more firmly, causing a whimper to escape her.

" _Mmm-ah_!" Her moan turned into a gasp, her hands running down his back to grip his bottom, nails digging into the flesh and pulling him deeper between her legs. He could feel her body starting to tense again, knew when he brought her over here that it would only take a few minutes before he had her reeling again. She cried out when he started to pump into her, one hand reaching above her so he could grip the headboard, the other hand wrapped underneath her, pressing her hips up to him.

"D _avid, oh, I_ ," She babbled, head falling back and mouth open as a string of words and noises left her, pulling him inside of her deeply with her grip of his ass as she keened, orgasm rippling through her and causing her entire body to tense violently. He groaned loudly at how hard she came, burying his face into her neck as he followed and spilled inside of her, cock buried to the hilt.

"Shit," He muttered when he slipped himself from her, realizing he'd finished inside of her, "I'm sorry darling."

"It's okay," She groaned, arm draped over her eyes as her chest still heaved and he chuckled at the sight of her, "Don't."

He smirked, falling down beside of her and pulling her into his arms, "Are you okay, my Queen?"

Regina laid against him, a lazy smile playing on her lips as he pulled the covers over them, neither one worried about the mess they'd created, "Was that normal, what happened to me against the wall?"

"Hm, yes," He smiled and wrapped his arms tighter around her, nuzzling his face in her hair, "And now I know where your spot is I can make you come like that all of the time."

She ducked her head at the blush on her cheeks, smiling into his neck when he chuckled at her reaction, "Do you think we created a child?" She asked, lifting her gaze back up slowly to see his head turned towards her. They'd been dancing around the topic for a while now and she wanted to see how he truly felt if they were faced with the reality of it.

"I don't know, how would you feel if we did?" He asked, reaching a hand out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. His eyes were unreadable so she decided to reply honestly.

"I would be happy," She troubled her bottom lip, eyes searching his own to feel out his own thoughts on it, "Very nervous, but if it happened I would welcome it. How would you feel?"

"I would be very happy, too," He gave her a smile that warmed her heart, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly and his straight teeth coming into view. "Very nervous for your health, in fact I'd probably be a wreck for a few months until I knew for certain that both of you were healthy. But like you, I'd welcome a child of our own."

Regina let out a pent up breath, a gentle smile spreading across her face, "I didn't know how you felt..If you'd want to start all over again since Emma is nearly grown."

"I would love to have children with you, but I also want us to enjoy each other for a while," He nuzzled his face in her hair, "I want to have you all to myself, want you to be able to go riding and have fun, to make the most of your newfound freedom and your age."

She lifted herself up on her elbow beside of him, looking at him when he laid his head back against the pillows and smiled up at her curiously, "You're not like anyone I've ever met."

"I hope that's in a good way," He replied warmly, trailing his fingers over the curve of her shoulder and down her forearm. "You're unlike anyone I've ever known, as well...I love you, Regina," David admitted, watching her eyes widen just a bit when he met her gaze. Those beautiful brown depths glazed over with unshed tears, her throat working but making no sound.

"I love you," She whispered after a few moments, bottom lip trembling with emotion, "And it scares me. If I lost you..."

He studied her for a moment, his heart constricting with love at the pain in her eyes. It was a pain he understood, he had lost love just like she had and he knew what she was thinking, what she was feeling, the fear that came with opening yourself up to that again, "I know..but we don't know what our future holds. There's nothing we can do to control it, but I'd rather spend the unknown loving you than to push you away in fear of getting hurt again. Don't you agree?"

She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she pressed her lips together to suppress a sob. It was something she'd thought about for a while now, since she'd realized she was falling for him. Her love for Daniel had been easy and sudden and she'd never second guessed it, never held herself back from it. But with David it had taken time, they had gotten to know each other, had to deal with their own demons before they could be what each other needed. It had been tempting to shy away from him, to avoid the hurt that could come with letting him in, but she was so glad she hadn't, "I do."

"Come here, don't cry," He murmured, brushing her tear with his thumb before pulling her into his arms again, kissing her head, "I do love you so much. I promise you're safe with me and I'll never leave you willingly."

"Me too," She pressed her forehead to his, one of her tears falling on his cheek as she smiled weakly at him.

"We'd better get some sleep, my Queen," David ran his hands over her back soothingly as she laid on top of him, feeling her arms snuggle around his waist, "I'd imagine you have a long day of restaffing maids tomorrow," He smiled and saw her own lips turn up into a grin, both of them chuckling before he pressed his lips against hers in a sound, goodnight kiss.


	18. Chapter 18

_sorry for the wait. the usual busy holiday season left me with little time for fiction. hope you enjoy. please let me know if you're still reading! i've noticed the reviews have kind of dropped off slightly. hope i'm not boring you with this. do i need to drop some angst on you to hear your thoughts? i'll do it, you know i'm a savage ;) xoxo_

* * *

"Quit nodding off girl, it's impossible to do your hair," Granny's knowing smirk met her when she opened her eyes to the reflection in her vanity mirror, the old wolf standing behind her brushing her long black tresses out.

She yawned and gave an apologetic smile to the woman, "Sorry, Granny."

"Please, something tells me you aren't very sorry for the reason you didn't get enough sleep last night," The bold woman retorted, making Regina's neck flush red and an embarrassed chuckle escape her lips, "The first clue might have been the King's bare arse when I came in here to start your bath this mornin'."

The heat crept up her face but all she could do was laugh at the bawdy gray haired woman behind her, muttering and tugging and brushing at her hair to put it into an elegant updo for the day. Granny gave them their privacy but she also wasn't phased to walk into her chamber and see David sleeping on his stomach, sheets halfway down his legs like he had been earlier. She only muttered something along the lines of _used to diaper that arse it's nothing I haven't seen before_ and went on into the bath chamber to heat Regina's water. She appreciated that Granny had taken it upon herself to be her personal maid though, for she couldn't envision trusting any of the other women on the staff to do it.

"Thank you for everything you do around here, Granny," Regina said out of the blue, looking up from where her eyes had diverted to her lap when she was blanching from her prior comment, "I don't think we tell you enough how important you are to us." She meant what she said, feeling the maternal nature with every brush stroke Granny gave and every smart comment she made. The woman had been more motherly to her than Cora ever had in nineteen years.

"Don't mention it, Girl," The wolf gave her an appreciative smirk and wink in the mirror before refocusing on fixing the Queen's hair, "I'm just glad you and the King get along the way you do. It isn't often you find love in an arranged marriage, and for you two to come together so naturally and make each other so happy...well, it's special."

Regina's heart warmed at the thought of her husband sleeping in the connecting room, completely unaware of their presence and conversation, "I know..I came into this thinking it would be a nightmare. It's what my mother wanted for me, so I was convinced it would be torture as everything she wanted for me had been...But David is so different to anyone I've met. My father...I love him but..he's not as strong as David... and Daniel...he could not stand up to my mother, he didn't stand a chance," She swallowed the guilt that rose in her throat at the realization, her train of though coming to a fiery halt and running off of the tracks.

Granny's eyes peered over the rim of her glasses, peeking at Regina's reflection as she bowed her head slightly and fidgeted with her dress, "What has you trailing off into your thoughts, Your Majesty?"

"I.." Regina contemplated just shutting down, putting up her carefully plastered brick wall that she was so good at raising to deflect from her feelings. Alas, this was Granny she was talking to, a woman who could see right through her it seemed. "I was the reason Daniel died...This life I lead...this is what my mother wanted for me and the reason she killed Daniel, so I would end up here...he died because he loved me and now...I live the life he died for, the one my mother forced me into, and I do so happily," She looked up at Granny, face contorted in anguish, "My mother got what she always wanted and I live happily in love with the King after I cost Daniel his life. It's not fair."

Granny paused the brushing for a moment, bringing a hand up to the top of Regina's hair and running it down over it in a soothing motion as she gazed at the girl in the mirror. The young woman held so much weight on her shoulders for someone who should be nothing but carefree and in love. "Do you think Daniel would've wanted you to be miserable? To stop living your life because of what your mother did to him? Did to you?"

Regina swallowed hard but kept her plump lips pressed together as a tear streamed down the apple of her cheek, "...No.." She replied but her voice was barely above a whisper. She knew Granny was right, but the pain was something she had to live with and process. Daniel would always have a place in her heart and she would never fully let go of his memory, no matter how painful.

"There you have it," The older woman stated, her voice much softer and motherly than her usual sassy tone, "You can't control what happens to you but you can control how you react to it. You didn't want this life, but you've made the best of it. Your mother can piss off for all I care, what she did to you was unforgivable. But how you move forward, well that was up to you, and look what you've made of it. David is happier than I've seen him in years, and look at the woman you've become," She ran a hand over the young woman's shoulder and squeezed.

"A Queen?" She smiled halfheartedly, shoulders sagging softly under Granny's touch, "What my mother wanted me to be, yet still not enough for her to approve of."

"To hell with your mother," Granny gripped her shoulder firmly but gently, making her look up at her in the reflection, "I mean look at the woman you are despite how cruel she was to you. You've got a kind heart, a loving heart. You found a place in it for the Princess, you give yourself fully to the King. You opened yourself up again despite losing someone you cared about. That takes a strong person, much stronger than Cora ever could be. To go through what you have and remain good, that's true character. That's more than enough."

"I haven't always been good, Granny, I was in a dark place when I came here. I dealt with people I shouldn't, I let my mind entertain thoughts I shouldn't," Regina admitted, "I'm not sure I deserve any of this..."

"Nonsense," The woman shook her head letting out a deep breath, "If you don't start thinking more of yourself I'm going to lose my mind, girl. I hope the King gets it through that pretty, thick skull of yours soon. There's never been a more qualified woman to be queen. You have just enough fire and just enough heart. I'm proud of you, Girl...Now, don't go tellin' everyone though," She smirked at the end in a way that was so typical of Granny, lightening the mood sufficiently.

"Who do you think you are leaving bed without-" David began as he sauntered into the bathroom stark naked with a cocky smirk on his face that turned into one of horror when he saw Granny standing behind the vanity where his wife was, "Gods!" He cupped himself with two hands as he frowned at the women who burst into laughter at his shock, turning quickly and darting out of the chamber, "Some warning would be nice!" He called out behind him in frustration.

"No kidding!" Granny yelled back before cackling again, shaking her head as she resumed doing the hair of the Queen whose sad tears had now turned into ones of laughter.

* * *

"You're getting better, kid," Ruby acknowledged breathlessly as she jumped back on her heels, smiling at Emma who was just as flushed in the cheeks as she was, "It's been a long winter, I think we're out of shape."

Emma laughed, digging her sword in the ground of the yards behind the castle where they practice sword fighting, leaning on it with her elbow to catch her breath, "Not to mention that anything that would keep us in shape is _unladylike_ ," Her voice dripped with mimicked disdain at the last word.

"Who cares?" Red shrugged and twirled the sword in her hand, looking up at the point. She saw a lot of herself in young Emma, but the girl had far many more obstacles to overcome seeing as she was born a noble. "So you like sword fighting and war plans? You're not the typical Princess, so what?"

"The Kingdom will think me improper, my Dad will probably agree," Emma replied and poised into her fighting stance when Ruby initiated a second round of fencing.

"Does he know I'm giving you lessons?" Ruby smirked before bringing her sword against Emma's, both of them stepping to the sides and blocking their next moves. They continued for a few moments, laughing and yelping when one of them almost got the other.

"He didn't know," A man's voice made them both come to a halt, swords crossed and both of their heads flipping behind them to see the King standing with a frown, "What's the meaning of this?"

"Emma wanted to learn how to sword fight," Red attempted to diffuse his concern by playing it off casually, shrugging her shoulders and smiling back at him, "No big deal."

"I think it is, she could be hurt," David frowned as he scanned his eyes over Emma's crude outfit of men's pants and a vest, "I don't know about this, Emma. It won't be accepted for a Princess to partake in such activities. You'll be putting yourself in danger and I cannot allow that."

"Dad, I'm only learning!" Her eyes widened as she dropped the weapon in her hand with a thud on the cold ground, "You said you'd think about it. I don't want to be some helpless, pathetic princess who gets married off and forced to sit and serve tea to guests. I want to be out where the action is. Why can't I? Just because I'm a girl?"

"Yes," Her father frowned, a frustrated grimace behind his features at his lack of a better answer, "What am I supposed to do Emma? Watch you dress like a boy? Ruin your chance for suitors? Let you ride into battle with me and get overpowered by warriors three times your size? I want a safe and happy life for you, why can't you understand that? Sticking to what you were born for is the best life for you."

"David, maybe that's not what she wants," Red interjected hesitantly, eyes darting between the heated father and daughter.

"What would you know about raising a kid, Ruby?" David's eyes widened, "You went behind my back and taught her something you know I wouldn't approve of. You encourage her to defy me and the expectations of our Kingdom."

Emma frowned, seeing the way her father's word stung his friend. She wasn't to blame for any of this and it made her feel guilty for asking Ruby to teach her in the first place.

"You know who you sound like right now?" She shouted at him, getting his attention back. Tears streamed down her face as they often did when she got this angry, but she didn't care, "You sound just like Grand-..Leopold right now! He always told mother what she couldn't do and look where she ended up! Pretending to be a bandit in the forest and that's how she met you! And you were happy, if she hadn't followed her heart I would't be here. Or does that even matter to you?"

"I am nothing like Leopold!" David bellowed with a frown, stepping towards his daughter, "I am doing my best to keep you safe and happy, all of you! Do you know how much work goes into that? And yet you're complaining, claiming I'm some sort of monster because I won't let you get yourself hurt doing a man's role?!" His brows raised in frustration.

"You aren't even trying to understand!" Emma screamed, "I hate you!"

* * *

David trudged up the stairs, feet heavy on the steps as he made his way into the tower. He'd searched everywhere for Regina, just wanting to talk to her, to vent to her, for her to tell him it would be okay. He finally made it to the top, letting out a breath as he saw her perched up on the table in the middle of the room, a beautiful smile spreading across her features when she noticed him.

Her brows furrowed slightly when she saw his expression, knowing he was frustrated or upset about something by the crease of his forehead. She put a marker in her book, closing it and setting it to the side, her eyes watching him as he crossed the room towards her silently, "What's the matter?" She smiled unsurely at him, uncrossing her legs and pulling him to stand in between them with a tug on his shirt sleeve.

He frowned deeply, stepping in between his wife's thighs that dangled over the edge of the table, feeling her hands run up and down his arms soothingly, "Do you think I'm a poor father?" He asked with a sincerity in his tone, wanting to know her thoughts. There wasn't anyone he trusted more than his wife, she'd suddenly become his companion in all aspects and he wanted her opinion more than anyone else's.

"What?" She pursed her lips, threading her fingers through his and pressing their palms together as she looked up at him, "Where is this coming from? Did you and Emma argue?"

"I caught her sword fighting with Ruby," He frowned, biting down on his bottom lip, "I may have overreacted. She expressed an interest in things such as that and I told her I'd think it over, but she went behind my back."

"And what did you say to her?" Regina asked, her tone curious and non-judgmental. Her husband was an excellent father, though she felt he needed her to listen to him and reassure him. He was troubled and she wanted to fix him, to comfort and soothe him. _How had this man's happiness come to mean more to her than her own?_

"I explained that the people would never approve of a Princess who partook in a man's role," He frowned, glancing down towards his boots as his hands fell to rest on her thighs and her own came up to wrap around his waist loosely, "And that I was trying to do was best for her in the long run. Then she accused me of being like Leopold."

"Oh," She murmured, knowing the chord that must have struck within him. The angriest she'd ever seen him was when she found him pinning his ex-father-in-law against a wall over harassing her and she knew it must've hit hard to be compared to that man. "David, she was upset, you are nothing like him."

"But Leopold, he told Snow that she couldn't scout or hunt or do archery, all of the things that interested her," He kept his head bowed, finding it hard to look at his wife when he felt like such a failure, "He was a pig, he treated women like they were nothing but pretty objects. And what have I done? Told my daughter she could not do something she was interested in because it was not proper, and advised her that the best life for her was to essentially be a pretty, royal object. I am like Leopold."

"David," Regina frowned firmly, reaching in to cup his squared chin and tilting it up so his gaze was level with her own, "You're nothing like him. If you were, you would've taken me on our wedding night with no regard to my feelings. You'd have mistresses in the palace and I'd still be intimidated by you. You wouldn't care if your daughter was angry with you when you told her no over something. She was just upset, you're an amazing father," She tightened her arms around his waist, "In fact I've already envisioned what you'll be like with our own children."

That caught his attention, making an interested half smile tug at the corner of his lips, "Really?"

"Mhm. You see my own father, while he was gentle and kind, he never was strong enough to stand up for me to my mother," She explained, running her hands up under his vest, between it and his cotton shirt, "But you...you're gentle and loving, but you're also protective and strong...you would love our children and protect them, just like you do Emma."

He gave a small smile at the thought of their children, his hands running down the sides of her arms and over her shoulders as he gazed down at her, "I just...I just worry...my father, he was not a nice man. He was a poor man's Leopold. A drunk and a womanizer, like many men out in this world who my daughter would encounter should she approach it in such a way. Hell, she'd probably be even more of target because she's of noble blood. How can I, in good conscious, let her pursue this?"

"Teach her how to defend herself," Regina looked up at him honestly, "Let her explore her interest while keeping her safe. You have the ability to do it, keep a small army of knights with her, allow her to have some independence while also known she's being protected. The more you hold her back, the more she will try to do it behind your back and end up getting herself hurt. And she will resent you if you do not support her, though I know it's coming from a good place," She said, running one of her hands up over his chest where his heart beat steadily.

He smiled absentmindedly at his wife and her wisdom that was much too old for her biological age, "Why do you make so much sense to me?" He asked, not only in relation to their conversation but to his life in general. She was a beautiful breath of fresh air, a soft warm heart, a sensible mind, the epitome of femininity that made him feel at home whenever he was near her.

"I love you," She smiled back at the dumb grin he gave her, seeing a weight visibly lift from his broad shoulders. It was warming to see that the man who ran an entire kingdom could still be so troubled by a teenage girl's opinion of him. He was strong in every sense of the word, but tender where it mattered.

"Hmm," David reached up to cup her face, leaning down to kiss her for a long moment, "I love you," He half groaned into her mouth, feeling the tip of her tongue run across his lips before finding his own. She gave a needy little moan from deep in her throat when he massaged her tongue with his own in a way he'd found she liked and he instantly stepped in closer to her.

"Sorry about this morning," She grinned against his lips, running the tips of her fingers down his lower back to the edge of his trousers, starting to inch his shirt from where they were tucked, "I didn't want to wake you when Granny started my bath, you looked so peaceful and..." She slipped a hand under the band of his pants, fingers caressing over his ass, "..content, naked in our bed, taking up all of the space."

She giggled then and he broke, shaking his head with a grin before leaning down to kiss her hungrily, with purpose this time, "Says the woman who falls asleep ontop of me," He grinned, hands gripping her dress and bunching it up and up her legs.

"I can't help it you exhaust me," Her forehead pressed against his then as she grinned, their lips ghosting over one another's as she brought her hands to work on the buttons of his vest, "Besides, you don't seem to mind."

"You practically fall asleep while I'm still inside of you," He chuckled, hands finally finding her shift, groaning when he pushed it up enough to find her bare thighs and ass.

"What can I say?" She grinned and yelped when he gripped her thigh with one hand and cupped the back of her head with the other, quickly laying her down on her back, "I like the feeling," She gazed up at him with a seductive smirk, keeping her thighs pressed together as she laid against the table, bare from the waist down.

He groaned under his breath and grinned, running his hands up the side of her thighs, gripping her knees gently, "Yet you try to be modest in moments like this," He teased at the flush of her cheeks and the way she kept her legs closed until absolutely necessary to open them, "I want to see you glisten for me. Open them."

She moaned under her breath the way he talked to her, knew what pleasure his mouth was about to bring to her. Everything they did to each other she'd been taught was tantric. Every moan she let out, every buck of her hips, it was all explained to her as being wanton. When he requested things that felt erotic or intimate, she second guessed herself because of how she was raised, but he quickly extinguished her doubt.

"Regina, I want to taste you," He elaborated when he saw her hesitate and bite her lip. They'd never done this in the broad daylight before, it had always been by candlelight in their bedroom that he'd gone down on her. She wanted it desperately, that much he knew, but there was a shy and self conscious side of her that her mother had beaten into her that reared it's head every now and then, but he knew how to snuff it out, "If I am to make you tremble with my mouth, if you want me to lick you until you cry out, then I suggest you show me how much you want it."

Her breath quickened, seeing the lust in his eyes and hearing the deep rasp to his voice as he spoke, waiting patiently where he stood at the edge of the table, hands resting on her knees. She caved, wanting to feel his lips and soft tongue lapping against her sex, spreading her legs widely for him and hearing the guttural groan that ripped from his throat. Sunlight streamed through the windows of the tower, no way to hide the flush to her cheeks or to shy away from the intimacy of it all.

He bent quickly, pressing her thighs towards her as he swiped his tongue across her folds. Her hand shot down to his hair instantly after watching him make his place between her thighs, coming down on his knees to eat her at the edge of the table. This wasn't making love in the private quarter of their bedchambers, this was raw. She was embracing how her husband could make her feel, the fact that she liked to feel this way and that he enjoyed making her feel this way. There was a freedom to the act as she let her head fall back against the table with a moan, eyes clamping shut and relaxing into the feeling.

"My god, Regina," David groaned against her swollen lips, biceps wrapped around her thighs, forearms curled over the top. "You are delicious," He murmured and continued to tease her nub in firm strokes. Her hands carded through his hair, nails scratching his scalp and combining with the soft moans and squeals coming from he to make him stiff in his pants.

" _Dav-oh-guh_ -" Her words ran together now, hips squirming under his grip, keeping his mouth against her with her grip of his hair, " _I'm..yes_!" She gasped, working her hips harder, panting now, whimpering as her abdomen coiled and burned sweetly, " _Like that_!"

He suppressed a smirk at how easily he could make her relax, at how she could go from shy and hesitant to riding his tongue in a matter of minutes with his gentle encouragement, "Mmm," He groaned as he felt her become wetter, coating his mouth and chin, but he sucked at her clit in earnest, hearing a yelp sound from her throat. Her nails dug into his scalp, back arched from the table and a string of sweet expletives he'd never heard her say before escaped her as her thighs clamped the sides of his head and she tensed and trembled and moaned through her orgasm.

"My my my, such language," He whispered as he slowly ran his tongue over her sex one last time, straightening up slowly. A smirk graced his lips at the sight of her, breasts spilling out of the corset at how hard she'd squirmed, dress rucked up around her waist, hair mussed, sweat beading at her brow, sex glistening. She was biting her lip, breathing heavily with eyes that here so heavy lidded they were almost closed, seemingly unaware of the words that had just came out of her.

David stepped in between her legs, taking his time unlacing his trousers for her to recover before feeling her thighs lift and hook over his hips, "I learned from the best," She grinned up at him, "You teach me a new word every time you come."

He smirked heatedly as he freed himself from his trousers, gripping his throbbing cock and rubbing his tip over her entrance firmly enough to make them both groan, "It's your fault."

Regina ran her hands up his forearms, gripping his biceps and marveling at how hard and thick they felt under her touch, "Mmm!" She gasped when he took her in one thrust, filling her entirely, stretching her deliciously. "You weren't kidding when you said every room in this castle, were you?" She asked with a breathless smile.

He smirked, pressing his hands against the table beside her head as he leaned over her, feeling her legs wrap around him in preparation of finding that perfect rhythm together, "No, I wasn't."


	19. Chapter 19

_before you get too mad at anyone in this chapter remember that everyone makes mistakes and you often take out your fears/frustration on the people closest to you. It's a fact of life and a part of every relationship that you hurt people without meaning to. Plus, have I ever not made something right? ;) xoxo_

* * *

"You've been in here all morning," Regina pouted as she made her way into David's study, seeing him at his desk working, "You didn't even wake me up before you left our room this morning."

He glanced up from his work, immediately noticing the concerned look on his wife's face before setting his quill pen down in its jar. There were times, like this, that he knew she could get insecure and she internalized his actions whether they were intentional or not, "I'm sorry, my Queen. It's just that the storms last night brought heavy destruction to some nearby villages. I was brought word early this morning that the people are in need of my help," He sat back in his chair as he explained and saw her shoulders visibly relax as she made her way to him.

"Oh, that's horrible," She was truly sorry, chastising herself then for being pouty with him in the first place. "I'm sorry, you have much on your mind, I'll leave you to work."

"Come here, I haven't kissed you good morning yet," He smiled and gripped her hand, pulling her to sit in his lap as he reached to cup her face, "Forgive me for not doing so earlier," He added before leaning in to kiss her firmly for a long moment.

"All is forgiven," She smiled against his lips, relieved that it was nothing more. He typically always woke her, if not to make love then to give her a morning kiss. When he hadn't this morning her insides had churned and while she knew they'd come too far for her to doubt him, her mind got away from her. "What are you working on?"

"A trade deal for the nearby villages, some need timber, some need food supplies, the realm doesn't lack for them, it's just that different villages were founded on different trades," He nodded and let out a breath, "I'm trying to propose a way we can direct goods where they are needed, and that every village is included economically, especially now when there is devastation."

Regina looked down at his plans, leaning her elbows on his desk, "We should go to these villages and speak with the people, let them know that we are going to help."

"You would want to?" He asked, his tone a bit surprised.

"Why wouldn't I? I don't get a chance to interact with our people and I'd like to," She gave a shrug as she gazed over his plans, "I want to help."

"They'll love you," David smiled, locking his arms around her waist as he took advantage of the vee in the back of her dress and pressed his lips to the skin between her shoulder blades. He heard her sigh and felt her shiver, grinning as he playfully grazed his scruffy chin over her skin.

"Daviiiid," She warned but he heard the smile in her tone, felt the way she squirmed and pressed her ass harder into his lap.

"You know we haven't done it in here yet," He said, his tone a bit gruffer and she felt her nipples go hard between his voice and stubble tickling her back.

"Someone may hear us out there, what if my father comes to speak with you-" She began to protest but she felt him growing underneath her, glancing down when his hands bunched up the skirt of her velvet dress and began to work it up.

"That's why I'm not going to undress you, my love," He grinned as he brought one hand down to untie his breeches, the other continuing to bring up the skirt of her dress enough to get it out from under her ass, "If you stopped wearing small clothes this would be much easier."

"How are we-David, right here?" She sounded shocked and he chuckled at her, watching her grip the edge of the desk and moan under her breath as he managed to get a hand up her dress, bringing it around to the front and shoving it down in her small clothes.

"I'll show you," He groaned into the skin of her back, lips kissing and nipping as he hooked his knees in between her own before spreading them wide.

"Mmmm," She moaned and her head fell forward for a moment as he rubbed circles on her clit after spreading her wide open, though her dress fell over her in the front, sufficiently covering them both.

"You're so beautiful, Regina," He murmured into her skin, fingers working on her bundle of nerves as his lips nibbled on her neck and shoulders, "You get so wet for me," He smirked against her skin, probing his fingers in her and earning a moan, "You want more?"

"Stop teasing, David," She whined and nodded, head falling to the side as he sucked down on her neck again and pushed two fingers inside of her, making her hips squirm on top of him.

"You've certainly gotten bossy," He grinned against her skin, curling his fingers inside of her as he started to move them.

"Oh," She gasped when his fingertips hit something inside of her, hips jerking as her grip tightened on the edge of the desk.

"Mmm, there it is," David groaned to himself, angling his wrist so he could thrust his fingers against it, "Fuck, I can't wait to take you."

"Do it," She nearly cried out, hips squirming, rocking on his hand in search of a release. His hands fumbled behind her as he got himself out of his pants hastily with her command before reaching under her dress again, "David!" She gasped when he ripped her small clothes at the seams.

"Ill have you more made," He smirked against her skin as he bit down on her neck, "Lift up a little, baby," He ran his hands over the rounds of her ass, helping lift her up as his cock sprang up underneath her, tip begging for entrance, "Remember when you came against the wall in our room?" He whispered near her ear.

Regina moaned and nodded, shaky legs holding her up just slightly from his lap so he could rub himself along her, "Yes."

"Because I hit that spot inside of you," He groaned at the thought, pressing his tip into her folds before gripping her hips and bringing her down, hearing her cry out, "That spot," He grit through his teeth as he regained control. She felt so tight sitting on him like this, back to him and legs splayed. He wished she were completely naked so he could see the way her ass sat snugly on his groin, so he could see how deeply he was buried inside of her.

"Yes," She moaned, back curling as she rocked her hips backwards and keened at the feeling, "Right there, David mm-I'm not, not sure what to-to do," She gasped at how deeply she felt him, how he stretched her in this position, how open she was to him.

"Ride me," He groaned, hands gripping her hips as he started to grind her hips on his, cock buried between her thighs. She fell into the rhythm quickly, hands gripping the desk for support as she started to roll her hips forward and backwards on him, moaning from deep in her throat.

"Like this?" She asked, whimpers coming out of her nearly before she could finish. Her head fell back, dark hair mussing against his face and he inhaled her scent. God, he would never tire of this woman.

"Yes, you're so good," He groaned deeply as she rolled and curled and squirmed on his cock, keeping one hand on her left hip as the other rounded to her front, slipping down to tease her clit again, "Focus, baby," He bit on her skin when he felt her hips falter in rhythm, knew she was coiling and tightening.

David began to thrust his hips up into her slightly, creating friction with each rut that had her gasping, "Right there! Like that!" She cried desperately, riding him harder as he jolted her with his cock, hitting the place inside of her that would make her see stars.

"Hold on to it," He groaned, beckoning her to keep control for a few seconds longer, knowing he could make her come harder if he kept hitting her there, "Yes, fuck!" He felt her clench, felt her cum drench them both as she cried out and her body writhed on top of hip, hips frantically jerking, walls clamping down around the root of his cock.

"Gods, Regina," He groaned loudly, picking her hips up off him quickly as he came against her ass, "I'm sorry, my love," He said breathlessly as she nearly doubled over, arms barely holding her top half up as he brought his kerchief from his suit and cleaned her up, setting her back down on his lap breathlessly.

She fell back against his chest, head lolling on his shoulder, "You make me act in a manner that is most unbecoming of a lady," She said breathlessly, a satisfied smirk on her lips.

"I intend to do so as often as I can," His voice rumbled in his chest and he chuckled near her ear, hand splayed over her stomach as they both caught their breaths, "Why don't you go change your small clothes and I'll have the carriage drawn around, and we'll go visit some villages?"

"Really?" She smiled and turned her head to the side to look at him, her hands resting over his own.

"Mhm, I want everyone to know and love the Queen I do," He murmured, kissing her cheek once as he helped shimmy her dress back down her thighs.

She smiled, sitting up straight and allowing him space to get tucked back into his pants, "Have you talked with Emma since your argument? You should do so before we leave."

"I will," He nodded as he tied up his breeches before giving her a pat on the bottom, the door to his office swinging open quickly.

"There you two are," Red was breathless as she barged in, completely unfazed by the Queen sitting in the King's lap.

"Red, what on earth-"

"It's Emma, she wasn't in her chamber this morning David. I think she ran off last night and with the storm-" Red swallowed hard, unable to finish her sentence, "I trailed her as far as the edge of the woods, but the rain ruined the trail, washed away her scent."

"Go get my men, tell them to get my horse," David stood immediately after Regina jumped up.

"Tell them to get mine, too," She frowned earnestly as she and her husband exchanged concerned glances, "We'll find her, David."

* * *

They'd ridden for nearly two hours in the rain, through the forest, screaming out Emma's name until their voices begged for a break. David's heart was beating erratically, afraid for his daughter's life. Scenarios ran through his mind, each one growing more terrifying than the next.

His men formed search parties, scattering in different directions, but he and Regina had ridden together in a search of their own. If the last words he ever said to his daughter were coarse ones, he'd never forgive himself. Anxiety gripped him with each passing moment.

Regina and David were both drenched to the bone and when he glanced at his wife he could see her breath in the chilly winter air but she did not complain. She merely called out for his daughter again as they traveled deeper and deeper into the forest.0/

"David! Look!" A gasp sounded from her as she pointed towards the river bank towards a mound of material.

He immediately slapped the reigns on his horse harshly, sending him full speed ahead and Regina's horse followed. When he approached his heart sank in his chest as he recognized the blonde hair splayed on the ground, "Emma! No!" He yelled, dismounting with a swing of his leg and rushing to his daughters wet, lifeless form.

Regina quickly followed him, kneeling beside him in the mid as he reached out to cup Emma's face, "No no this is all my fault!" He choked on his words, his emotions taking over at the thought of losing his child.

"It isn't," Regina argued, pressing her fingertips to Emma's neck and feeling a faint pulse there, "David it isn't your fault, she's-"

"Of course it's my fault!" He barked back at her, seeing his daughters blue lips, the gash on her head where she'd fallen from her horse, "If I hadn't been so hard on her she wouldn't have ran away!"

Regina felt the sting of his tone but didn't take it personally, she'd be distraught too if she found her child near dead, in fact she _was_ distraught, but she had to stay calm for him, "She'll be okay, she's still alive David it will be fine."

"How can you say that?" He snapped, cradling his daughter's head, "You don't know that. I might have killed her and for what?! My pride?! She's all I have, she's all I've had for years and I may have just cost her her life!"

She felt the brunt of those words like a punch to the gut, swallowing hard as he yelled them at her. The desperation in his eyes scared her, wakening her to the harsh reality that while he may love her, it would never compare to the love he had for his first wife and child. Regardless, Regina knew what losing someone you loved felt like and it pained her to think of David going through that again, he didn't deserve it.

Regina hadn't taught herself much healing magic and she knew it could be dangerous if not done correctly, but she couldn't allow Emma to die in her husbands arms. She'd never forgive herself is she hadn't tried, so she did. Her husband barely noticed either, cradling Emma's head and trying to wake her while Regina put her hands over her stepdaughters form, beginning to recite a healing spell silently.

David's eyes widened after a few moments, seeing Emma gasp in a breath and her own eyes begin to flitter open. Her color came flooding back and he glanced up to bring this miracle to Regina's attention when his heart stopped. Regina was straining over Emma's body, arms tense and magic coming from her fingertips. Her eyes were closed and she mumbled, grimacing in pain as the color drained from her.

"Regina?" He swallowed hard as she started to tremble, watching as his daughter healed with every passing second while his wife deteriorated, "Regina stop!" He yelled when blood trickled from her nose at the strain of her magic. It was only a few seconds before she did so, though not willingly, as she collapsed on the forest ground as pale as her step daughter had been.

"Dad?" Emma's brows furrowed at the look on his face when her eyes focused, her brain hazy, "What happened?"

* * *

"What in gods name?!" Granny exclaimed when David trudged into the castle, dripping wet from head to toe as he carried his wife. Regina was limp in his arms, a gash on her head and blue lips. The King had a wild look of fear in his eyes, the rain blowing in the foyer of the castle as people bustled in behind him.

"Granny help, please," He swallowed hard as he glanced down at his unresponsive wife and Granny's gaze caught one of the knights helping a wary princess into the castle behind them.

"Get the girl settled," Granny nudged Ruby towards Emma before motioning for David to follow, "Come, we've got to get her warmed up."

He followed obediently, carrying his Queen's petite frame with ease as he took the stairs two at a time. Granny was bustling as well and it did nothing to calm his nerves to know that the older woman was worried enough to practically run herself.

"What happened to her?" Granny asked as she pulled down the covers once they got to the couple's chamber and David carried the unconscious Queen to the bed.

"We found Emma, she'd fallen from her horse and was near dead," David swallowed hard as he cradled Regina to him, "I...I was upset and I snapped at her when she was only trying to help and...Granny she...she did some sort of magic, she took Emma's injuries as her own, I don't know..."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, "You goddamned fool, lay her down. Gently!" She bit at him and he nodded tearfully, laying his wife down on the bed, "Help me get her out of this dress."

"I'm so sorry, Regina," He whispered at her, seeing blood smeared under her nose as he worked at her corset, helping Granny strip her down. They got all of the wet clothing off of her before moving her to the dry side of the bed, covering her with the sheet for her modesty.

"Get away from her now and get into something dry!" Granny barked at him and he obeyed without a word, quickly making his way over to his wardrobe to find something.

"Foolish girl," She murmured softly as she brushed Regina's hair back and studied the wound on her head, luckily it was near the hairline and would heal unnoticeably. "Bring me some hot water and fresh linens, boy," She called out to David as she examined the Queen's for other injuries.

Granny lifted the blanket and sighed sadly at the young Queen's midsection, noticing the deep bruising around her ribs. She prayed there was no internal bleeding and that it was purely bones and soft tissue damage. Aside from a few cuts and scrapes, it looked like Emma's head and ribs caught the brunt of the fall. The best she could do now would be to clean Regina, warm her and wait.

"Here," David rushed back in wearing dry clothes, his expression wracked with guilt as he held a handful of linen cloth and a basin of water.

"On the nightstand," Granny said coolly, unable to look him in the eye yet. If she did, she'd end up clobbering his ass. She heard him set it down on the nightstand before she reached for a cloth and wet it, wringing it out before bringing it to Regina's scalp to clean the wound.

"I'm a fool. I'm such a fucking fool," David shook his head and paced, "I said that Emma was all I had granny, I didn't mean it like that but I saw the look on Regina's face and then the next thing I knew she...God, is she going to be okay?!"

"Looks like she's probably got some head trauma and a few bruised or broken ribs, boy," Granny admitted in a softer tone. He loved the Queen, she knew that, and an old wolf especially understood that sometimes you snapped at the ones you loved. "Her sides will be fine, it's her head that worries me," Granny muttered, knowing how easy it was to have bleeding on the brain.

Regina looked slightly less pale as Granny pulled the blankets over her, "I'm going to tear up some linens to wrap those sides of hers, you keep an eye on her." She turned from the bed and watched the King nod quickly. He rounded the bed, easing onto the other side careful to not move Regina as he laid down and took one of her hands in his. _Such a fool._


	20. Chapter 20

_twenty chapters, who would've thought? and so much love to go with it :) glad you all aren't too mad at me for the last chapter. i want them to have some bumpy times so their relationship gets stronger_. _you know you love the rollercoaster! and lol at one of you reading my mind ;) please review! xxxx_

* * *

"Dad, can we talk?" Emma's voice brought him from his wary state, causing him to lift his top half from where it had been slumped over the side of the bed. It had been two long days that Regina remained unconscious and he hadn't slept other than brief moments when he'd drift of at her bedside. His stubble had grown out, in need of a good shave, and his eyes were rimmed red from lack of sleep. Granny had harped at him to eat and sleep, but it was a an impossible feat. _How could he do anything but will his wife to wake up?_

"What is it?" He asked quietly, straightening himself back into the chair, away from Regina's sleeping form on the bed. Her color was a little better and the bruises on her ribs had turned a deep purple before slowly starting to lighten. Everything appeared to be healing, but he was worried for her mind. Blows to the head were unpredictable and the longer she remained in the comatose state the more frantic he became.

"I..how is she?" Emma swallowed hard as she approached the bed, gazing down at her young step-mother who looked smaller than usual, alone in the large bed. The cut near her hairline was covered by a bandage that Granny had put on her head and she was dressed in only a thin nightslip, the covers tucked in around her shoulders. It was a stark contrast from the usual vibrant energy that radiated from the woman that had been so happy only days before.

"I don't know, she hasn't woken up," He felt morose as he looked to his wife, the suffocating feeling of grief creeping up within him. He'd been through this before, he'd lost one love. Somehow this felt worse, more raw. He didn't know if it was simply because she was so young or if it was because of how deeply he felt for her. Regina had been a breath of fresh air, the joy brought back to his life, the one whose own bravery in taking a chance at love again gave him the strength to open his own heart.

"I'm so sorry, Dad. I had no idea that you all would...that she would do-" Emma's eyes filled with tears as she gently sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to take her step-father's hand into her own, "If something happens to her I'll never forgive myself."

"Hey," His voice was strangled and came out a near whisper when he witnessed his daughter struggle with her own feelings, recognizing the connection she'd made with the Queen as well, "Everyone makes mistakes. I should've listened to you..I shouldn't have lost my temper with Regina...if anyone is to blame for this, it's me," David reached out, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder as they silently stared at the woman they'd grown to love so much.

"She wouldn't want you to blame yourself. She saved me willingly, Dad. You know Regina, she's the first to put her neck out for someone else."

"I know. I just can't help thinking that I pushed her to do it," His chest was tight with emotion and he had to stop to collect himself, "I was so scared at the thought of losing you that I snapped at her. I let her think that she wasn't important to me. I know how she thinks so little of herself, I know how she takes things the wrong way and I..I still let it come out like a fool."

"You all quit pawing on the poor girl and let her rest," Granny chided gently as she came in the room with a fresh nightgown to put on Regina, "I'll need your help, Your Majesty," She nodded and lifted the gown in her hand briefly before setting it down and going over to stoke the fire.

"If you need anything, let me know," Emma took it as her cue to leave, looking weakly to her father before standing from the bed, quietly exiting the room.

"The Queen's mother was alerted of her condition by Henry," The wolf told David when she straightened from the fire and brushed her hands, a disgruntled expression on her face as she bustled over to the bed, "She'll be here by morning, god knows."

"Great," He muttered, standing from his chair to assist Granny in putting a clean gown on the Queen. A visit from Cora was exactly what he didn't need at this point and time.

"Lift her gently," Granny instructed as David slipped his arms under Regina's back, lifting her from the bed just enough to pull her slip over her head. The older woman stood beside him, gingerly putting the new nightgown over the Queen's head, careful not to disturb the bandage on her hairline, "There, you pull it down," She said, saving Regina's modesty at least a bit as she patted David's arm and busied herself with getting fresh water for the wash basin.

He smiled weakly, still holding Regina up towards his chest as he pressed his lips to her forehead, "I love you," He murmured before letting her back down onto the bed, pulling the covers down just enough to gently tug the nightgown down over her hips and tuck her back in. His heart ached, yearning for her to open those beautiful brown eyes and tell him that she was okay.

David swallowed hard at the knot forming in his throat, pulling the neck loose of the shirt he wore that suddenly felt suffocating. His stomach rumbled but he had no appetite, he was exhausted but he wasn't tired. He wasn't leaving Regina, not until she woke up, not until he knew she was going to be okay. He stripped down to his shorts before climbing into the bed beside his wife gently, pulling the covers over them. He scooted as close he could get to her without actually touching her, scared he would hurt her sore body and she'd be unable to tell him.

It was torture, being this close to her while she as hurting and not being able to comfort her without the fear of causing her more harm. If only she'd wake up, if only he knew what to do to help. The words he'd coarsely spoken to her repeated in his head, making his stomach turn and his heart pound. The last thing she'd heard him say before slipping away had been misleading. He'd been upset and frantic and had spoken without thinking. It ate away at him while he watched her chest rise and fall with shallow breaths until he succumbed to his own exhaustion.

* * *

A scream jump-started David's heart, making his eyes pop open as he blinked rapidly and tried to get them to adjust to the morning light. A pained groan sounded next and he scrambled to sit up in the bed, eyes focusing in on Regina staring at him with wide eyes, blanket clutched against her chest as she struggled to sit up, grimacing at the ribs she was putting pressure on that were undoubtedly sore.

"Regina, oh my god, you're awake," He stumbled for words, reaching out for her hand but her eyes only widened and she tried to scoot back from him, groaning again in pain. "Don't, darling, you're hurt, don't move."

"Who are you?!" She snapped back at him, breathing heavily as she glanced around the room like a caged animal, "What happened to me? Where in the hell am I?"

David's own eyes widened as he sat paralyzed in the bed, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. _She didn't even know who he was._ "Regina I-...I'm your husband, you-" He began to explain, searching for the right words, praying that with the more he said that her memory would slowly come back to her. Instead she shrank away from him, eyes locked on his frame to make sure he wasn't attempting to come any closer.

"I don't believe you. My mother will not be happy about this," She declared in a warning tone with a trembling voice, shaking her head quickly as she wrapped a death grip around the blankets covering her, "You'll answer for this, you just wait until she finds me, she-"

He watched as she threatened him with Cora and his heart sank, watching her revert to the timid young woman he'd first met. The one who didn't yet have the courage to stand up to her oppressive mother, "Regina...I'm the King...we're married...we married last year..."

"I would never marry you," She gasped and her disdain would have been comical if it hadn't stung him so much, "You're-you're too old for me!"

"I thought that, too," He grimaced, pulling the cover up over his shorts to try to seem less threatening, "But your mother and the former King, they arranged our marriage and...if you don't believe me, look at your left hand," He nodded towards her ring finger.

Regina lifted her hand quickly, eyes bulging as she stared at the ring she wore, "You mean..we've...we've been intimate?" She whispered as her eyes snapped back at him and her neck flushed a furious shade of red. The woman who had trembled with pleasure under his touch just three days ago now considered herself a virgin again.

"Uh..." He gulped and looked at her almost sheepishly, for the frown marring her face made him feel like he was talking to a stranger, "Very much so."

"This can't be right," Regina shook her head and turned her gaze from him quickly as her cheeks burned and her eyes searched for the door, "I have to go, I have to find my parents, I-"

"They're here," David stood from the bed warily and she glanced back at him then, eyes quickly averting when she noticed he was practically bare himself. "I'll go get them for you...Don't move, you'll injure yourself more," He swallowed hard, needed to leave before he broke down in front of her. _Was this permanent? Would the woman he loved never know what they shared? Would the love he have for her never be reciprocated again?_

* * *

"Regina, my dear, dear Regina," Cora burst into her bed chamber and Regina let out a muffled cry at the sight of at least one familiar person. "Oh darling, are you all right?" Her mother came to her bedside, sitting down quickly and running a hand over her hair.

"Mother, what's happening?" She whispered, swallowing the thick lump in her throat as tears threatened to spill. She was frightened, waking up to a strange man nearly naked beside of her. A man who claimed to be her husband, one she'd apparently been intimate with but had no recollection of whatsoever.

"You've had a terrible accident, dear. They've told me you were saving someone, but to be truthful, I don't know," Cora eyed her with a sympathetic look before glancing towards the door as if she were making sure they were alone, "I've been so worried about you, my child."

"Why?" Regina searched her mother's expression for the truth. She was the only person here she recognized here, the only person she could trust. The man who had darted out earlier seemed shaken and strange, and there were countless servants slipping through the room and staring at her like she was some sort of freakshow. "Where am I?"

"You're at the royal palace, my dear. You were married to the King...you're the Queen," Cora held her hands gently, "Oh my darling, I haven't seen you in months..." She stared at her with an awestruck expression that made Regina want to believe her. Her mother was never usually so warm and caring and Regina craved that affection and approval. The throbbing in her head made it hard to think clearly and all she wanted to do was collapse into the arms of the woman in front of her.

"Why haven't you seen me?" Regina asked her almost hesitantly, troubling her bottom lip. What had happened to her over the past year that she couldn't remember? It felt like just yesterday she was enjoying a riding lesson with Daniel and fussing with Cora over dinner, per her usual routine. Yet she'd woken up injured, in a life she didn't recognize. _Married. To a man who wasn't her fiance._

"The King forbade me coming here," Cora gulped, her expression the picture of innocence, "He's a bit..."

"He's what?" She whispered, heart beating wildly in her chest. _Who was the man she was married to? Was he a monster?_ She'd never seen Cora hold back words before and her mother looked truly troubled. Cora had always pushed her to elevate her status in life, to marry into money and power. For her not to be pleased by her marriage to the King, something had to be seriously wrong.

"A bit..controlling," Cora hesitated, as if she didn't want to say it out loud, "He keeps you here...he won't let me visit...Everyone here keeps up his facade, after all, he's the King. On the outside everything seems perfect, everyone believes you're very happy, but I'm afraid you've suffered so, in ways I don't even know," She smiled weakly and touched Regina's cheek with the back of her hand, brushing away a tear, causing a shiver of fear to run through her.

"How did you get here now?" She asked her mother, her stomach rolling with anxiety.

"I was sent word you were injured saving the King's daughter after she fell from a horse," Cora's hand hovered over Regina's midsection and she felt the warm tingle of relief as her mother's magic healed her, making her exhale loudly as the ache ceased. Her mother rarely did something so kind for her, had always told her it was better she learn to deal with pain. The gesture brought more tears spilling over the apple's of her cheeks and emotion bubbling in her chest. It was so gentle and maternal the way Cora was treating her, coming to her like a light in the darkness of confusion and healing her wounds, making sense of it all, "I came at once and threatened anyone that got in my path. I won't let you suffer anymore, my dear girl. I'll protect you."

Regina's wet lashes lifted when the man who claimed to be her husband appeared at the bed chamber door, accompanied by an older, gray haired woman. They stared at her, making her shift uncomfortably and bringing Cora's attention to their audience that she coolly addressed upon seeing for herself, "Regina is fine, I'm taking care of her."

* * *

"Come, boy," Granny, wrapped an arm around the King's, seeing the way the Queen avoided his gaze. She could practically hear his heart breaking into pieces and she knew that Cora would insist on caring for her daughter, given the distraught state Regina was in. The poor Queen had only calmed when she saw her mother, as ironic as it seemed to Granny and David. But Regina recognized her mother, despite the cold hearted monster she was, and it made sense that she'd want to be near her.

David looked longingly at his Queen in the bed, her mother hovering over her. Cora seemed to be genuinely caring, wiping her tears and seeing to her wounds. Regina was alive, she may not remember him, but she was alive, and that was better than what he had feared. He felt Granny tugging on his arm, pulling him from the doorway to his bedchamber and away from the four poster bed where his entire heart remained.

"Come now, let's get some food in you," Mrs. Lucas rubbed his arm with her free hand, glancing at him with worried eyes over her the rim of her glasses, "She'll come back to you. Just be patient, don't lose hope."

"I just.." He swallowed hard when his voice threatened to break and he stared ahead, jaw clenched in an attempt not to lose control of his emotions, "I miss her so much, Granny. If she doesn't...if she can't...I don't think I-"

"She will. She's strong and she's smart," She reassured the troubled King, seeing he was on the verge of breaking down as she decided to lead him down one of the scarcely used halls for extra privacy, "You have to stay strong for her. And you stay patient. Give her some space right now, I know it hurts, but you have to. She's scared and she doesn't know where she is, doesn't know who we are," The old wolf swallowed hard, reigning in her own emotions.

"What am I meant to do in the meantime? I'm going to lose my mind," His voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper, his brows furrowed and his jaw clenched so tight it nearly trembled. He stared at his boots as he ran a hand through his hair, gripping the back of his tense neck.

"Remind her why she loves you," Granny placed a hand against his chest, "You're in her heart, son. She may not be able to remember who you are, but you can show her what made her fall in love with you. The little reminders like that, they've been known to help bring people around."

"And if it doesn't work? If she never loves me again?" David looked at Granny with eyes full of unshed tears, glistening with deep pain.

"We can't let that happen."


	21. Chapter 21

_lets see where this goes, shall we? ;) please review with your lovely thoughts xxx_

* * *

Regina stared up at him with those big brown eyes, soft smile on her lips as they parted ever so slightly to let moans escape. He smiled, feeling his love for her with his whole heart, threatening to make it explode, knowing he'd never felt as connected with anyone before. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him down for a kiss and he obliged, tongue dipping into her mouth and caressing her own.

 _God, he loved this woman._ The world disappeared when they were locked away in their bed chamber, tangled up in each other, nothing but the sounds of their love making as they cocooned themselves under the covers. It was the sweet mornings like this that were his favorite, nothing hurried about it, taking their time and exploring each other's bodies, enjoying each other's presence. She'd become so comfortable with him, had let him in completely and it was unlike anything he'd ever known.

The sounds that came out of her became warm and heated as the minutes ticked by, prompting him to slide his hand under her lower back to change the angle and help her reach what her body searched for. She gasped when he tilted her hips up to him, opening her up to him more and he reached something deeper inside of her wet heat. His free hand pressed into the pillows above her head and he lifted his own to watch her. He smiled breathlessly and she returned the sentiment, face flushed beautifully and lips swollen from kisses.

Her soft legs wrapped around his back, arms curled around his sides, fingers grasping at his shoulder blades. She clung to him as he moved inside of her with gentle but firm rhythm, watching her reactions play across her beautiful features. He wanted her forever, wanted to have babies with her, wanted to grow old with her. She was it for him and he wished he could accurately convey that with words, but he feared it wasn't possible.

"David," She spoke his name in a gasp, her shy little telltale sign that she was about to come. He'd come to know it well, reveled in the sound of it.

"I love you," He breathed heavily, bending his arm to lean on his elbow, curling his wrist so his hand could thread through her hair as he came down closer to her, pressing their bodies together, "Let go, baby." Even now she sometimes needed a nudge to give into the pleasure, to let her body do what it wanted to, to forget how she'd been taught to deny herself.

She whimpered when he rolled his hips up into her with gentle force, her full lips parting wider with a silent cry as her body began to tense underneath him. David kept her hips tilted up to him with his hand underneath her, the other gently gripping her hair as he watched her closely, brows furrowing and her eyes closed. Her arms and legs clung to him, back arching from their soft bed, pushing her breasts up against his chest as she buried her face into his neck and let out a muffled cry when she clenched. He felt her warm tears of release against his skin as he groaned and filled her, fighting to control his own emotion that their connection evoked in him.

A sudden noise in the hall made his eyes come open and his heart sank when he found himself alone in his old bed chamber, staring at the ceiling. He frowned as he felt the tears resting in the corners of his eyes. It had almost been a month that his wife had not come back to him and he found himself dreaming about her each time he fell asleep, waking up painfully hard and heartsick.

He tried his best to keep a sense of normalcy when he saw her, tried to keep up with his daily life and perform his duties as King. Her absence was painfully distracting, especially seeing her walk down the hall to their old chamber, making him want to follow her and beg her to try to remember. Instead he held himself back, not wanting to scare her. She seemed wary of him, almost cold towards him, and stuck close to Cora who had made herself at home in his castle to care for her daughter.

Everyone missed Regina. He could tell in the way Granny watched her when she'd bring her her breakfast, could tell how Emma mentioned with a hopeful expression going on a ride anytime the Queen was near, could tell the way Red would make jokes about the dungeon in a subtle attempt to jog Regina's memory. Ella and Thomas had even been to visit, unaware of the current state of things at their castle and Cora had politely refused when the heavily pregnant Ella asked to see Regina.

His home that had so recently been full of love and life again was now dwindling back to the solemn place it had been after Snow had died. David's own hope was hard to hold onto when he witnessed his wife reverting to the troubled soul she'd been when she came here. She avoided him, averting her gaze for the most part and when she did look at him it was with a blank expression instead of the love he'd gotten used to. It chipped away at his shattered heart, beckoned him to give up hope, to give up trying.

* * *

"The weather is fair today, Regina," Cora eyed her daughter sitting in the window sill, "Perhaps you should go for a ride? You'd enjoy that."

She wasn't typically one to worry or indulge someone's sulking, but it's all her daughter seemed to do these days. Ever since the incident a month ago, Regina had refused to eat, had seemed to wallow in her misery at the knowledge of her life that she didn't recall. Telling Regina the news that Daniel had passed had surprisingly rattled Cora when she saw the heartbreak on her daughter's features all over again.

When she'd killed Daniel she'd been angry at her daughter for going behind her back and had believed she was doing what was best for her. It had been easier for her to harshly discipline her daughter back then when her temper hadn't time to cool. Telling her now of Daniel's death made Cora feel cruel despite how she'd believed it was for her own good, even when she'd amended the story to say he'd been killed in an accident rather than by her own hand.

She buried her guilt as she usually did, for now it was time to do what was best for Regina once again. She'd forced her into this life with the King who was a stranger, wanting nothing more than her daughter to have wealth and power. Regina holding the throne meant she herself would have a certain degree of wealth and power simply by being her mother, something she'd longed for but could not obtain for years. But, despite the well laid plans, the arranged marriage between Regina and David had not went as she'd hoped.

The King was stronger than she'd anticipated and from the small glimpses of him she'd seen, she could tell he was rather controlling. He'd snapped at her on multiple occasions and made her feel unwelcome in her daughter's own home. He'd even sent for Henry to come spend time at the castle, but refused Cora a visit. If he was bold enough to act this way towards her, one of the most powerful sorceresses in the realm, then what was he doing to her weak daughter?

It had eaten Cora alive, the months spent home alone, wondering how her daughter was fairing now that she was no longer allowed around her. She'd taken the stable boy from her and forced her to marry this monster, then wasn't even able to protect her from him. She knew she'd been hard on Regina her entire life, but she'd only been preparing her for what it could bring. Cora had learned the hard way, no one had warned her how heartbreaking the world could be, how cold people could be.

Certainly it was more humane to prepare her soft-hearted daughter for it than just thrust her into the world with hopeless optimism and naivety. So she had done what she felt she must, had steered Regina's path in life to one of power and wealth, only for it to backfire. That's why when the opportunity arose with the Princess and the horse, Cora knew what she had to do.

Regina had been a nurturer since she was a wee thing, sometimes making Cora wonder how she'd ever come from her. She knew that given the chance to save the Princess that Regina would and it would be the perfect opening to change the dynamic at the royal palace. The dramatic teenager quickly gave her the opportunity to arrange it all when she'd attempted to run away the stormy night over a month ago, triggering one of the perimeter spells Cora had put on the castle to let her know the comings and goings.

She knew that the injuries her daughter sustained were nothing that she couldn't heal and the memory loss was something she'd apt not to. Without her memories of the tragic loss of her stableboy and her days controlled by the king, Regina, with Cora's help, could finally rise to be the rightful Queen. Cora could teach her daughter how to be a true ruler, how to protect herself from the cruel people of the world, how to be what she always knew she could.

It had been harder to begin to mold Regina than what she expected it to be after she settled in here in a chamber across from her daughter's. The Queen seemed to fall into a depression without her memories, often seemed lost and occupied in her own mind. She'd become deathly thin, avoiding meals and spending most of her time staring off from her perch in her chamber window. Cora preferred when Regina used to argue with her and defy her, for now she appeared too much like someone with a broken spirit.

"Rocinante, is she here?" Regina asked without looking towards Cora, keeping her gaze towards the forest surrounding the castle lands.

"Yes, darling," Cora made her way towards her daughter, resting a hand on her shoulder and troubling her bottom lip as she watched the girl lack any response, "Go brush her and saddle her and take yourself on a ride. But don't go too far, okay?" She suggested, wishing to prompt her to take pleasure in anything again. Nothing good would come out of letting her daughter waste away in her own misery.

* * *

Regina tugged her overcoat around her tighter, surveying the castle grounds as she made her way towards the horse stables. The cool spring was slowly fading into summer and the weather was finally starting to be suitable for outside activity. Her mother had nagged her incessantly to go take a ride and for once she knew Cora was coming from a good place. But riding only reminded her of Daniel and the fact that he was gone from her forever. Still, she'd gotten dressed and decided to go seek solace in her loyal mare, needing a break from her mother and just wanting to be alone.

There was a constant, dull ache in her heart and she felt like a part of her had died with her stableboy. She didn't recognize her life, didn't recognize anyone in the castle but her parents. Her father only looked at her with eyes full of pity and concern, like he didn't know what to say in regards to her not knowing her own husband or her own step-daughter. He allowed Cora to steamroll his conversations, as he always did, and she hadn't seen much of him since she'd woken up.

Her mother told her it was for the best that she did not remember the past year of her life and warned her of the dangerous man the King was. She felt sick to her stomach at the fact she could not recall what had transpired in the months when she'd been here alone, without her parent's protection. The man, David, stared at her whenever he saw her and his face would contort, she imagined from irritation, before he would mumble an excuse to leave the room.

He seemed to live a sad life, from what she'd observed. There were dark circles under his eyes and he drank a considerable amount during the rare meals when everyone would be in the dining hall. She heard him snap at people he worked with, heard him argue with his teenage daughter, saw him seclude himself to his wing of the castle for days at a time. The only person he seemed to speak to was a pretty, dark haired woman named Ruby who she assumed was his mistress.

She took a deep breath as she neared the stables, her heart lightening a tad at the thought of seeing her sweet Rocinante. Dread filled her when she entered the building, seeing the blonde Princess feeding a hand full of dried corn to her horse. The girl glanced up, a smile gracing her heart shaped face at the sight of Regina and she wondered why.

"Going for a ride?" The Princess asked her, turning her attention back to petting Rocinante's muzzle. It made Regina itch, made her want to tell the girl to keep her hands off of her friend.

"I was going to, yes," She replied with a cool tone, making her way over to the tack wall, eyes searching for Rocinante's bridle amidst all of them.

"It's right here," She heard the girl say from behind her before appearing beside her, pulling it off of the space on the wall, "You always put it there beside the bridle for father's horse."

"Oh, right," She mumbled, taking it from the girl and flicking her gaze at her, "Thank you," She said quietly before looking down at the bridle in her hands. Everything felt so foreign to her, even these familiar straps of leather in her hands that she'd touched a million times.

"You and father used to ride a lot," The girl added, seeming to enjoy incessant conversation much to Regina's chagrin, "You'd disappear for hours at a time. Granny would always squawk at the two of you for going out in the cold weather..."

Regina glanced at the girl, eyeing her warm expression skeptically, "Your father and I spent a lot of time together?" She decided to ask, seeing the girl's earnest demeanor and trying to decipher if she was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"You were inseparable," The Princess sighed and rolled her eyes with a sad smile, "Well, it didn't happen straight away. You didn't like each other that much at first when Leopold and your mother forced you to get married, but you got to know each other-"

"When my mother and who forced us to marry?" Her heart skipped a beat at the girls words and how they contradicted everything that Cora had told her up to now.

"Uh," The blonde's expression flickered as if she remembered Regina wouldn't know who she was talking about, "Leopold, my grandfather. He wasn't a very nice man he...well.." She hesitated and it made anxiety rise in Regina's chest, "Anyways, he made a deal with your mother that you would marry my father. And like I said, you and Dad did not get along at first but you eventually fell in love."

"In love?" Her heart thrummed in her ears, breath becoming harder to find. This story was entirely different to what her mother had been repeating to her over and over and she realized now that it almost seemed as if Cora was trying to drum it into her.

"Very much," Emma looked at her with confusion in her eyes, like she didn't know how Regina hadn't been made aware of this, "Your mother didn't tell you?"

"Why should I believe you?" She snapped suddenly, seeing the girl shrink back, obviously not expecting her temper, "How do I know you're not just saying all of this for your father's gain? If we were so in love why hasn't he tried to speak with me?"

"Regina-er, Your Majesty, I..." The Princess stuttered in uncertainty, "You were so scared of him when you first woke up and your mother told us it was best to give you space, as you were terrified and not thinking clearly. Me and Red, Granny and Dad, we've missed you so much but we haven't forced you to talk with us because you didn't seem to want to and we didn't want to make your condition worse. It's been terrible on Father, he misses you so much. We have to force him to eat and-"

"This is a lie," Regina muttered, interrupting the girl's rambling with a shake of her head, "My mother said this was the case, that your father made it appear to everyone we were happy but he-" The bridle in Regina's hands snapped apart suddenly with the force of a purple glow coming from her hands, causing her to look down suddenly with a gasp. "What is happening to me?" She whispered, fear slithering up inside of her. _It was magic, she contained magic._

Her stomach turned suddenly at the knowledge of the wicked power that bubbled within her, beyond her control, and she ran to the edge of the stables, heaving up the tea she'd had for breakfast earlier with violent force. Her hand gripped the edge of the rough wooden wall as she doubled over, tears coming to her eyes as she finished. "Go away!" She cried when the girl followed her.

"Regina, what's wrong? What is it?" Emma pestered, arm wrapping around the Queen's waist to help her stand on her shaky legs.

"Magic," Regina looked down at her trembling hands, "I have magic, like my mother," She realization hit her like a ton of bricks and her stomach twisted in knots, though nothing remained in it to come up.

"Of course you do, father built you the room in the tower so you could practice," The girl spoke softly, keeping an arm wrapped around the Queen's shaking shoulders, "Have you not seen it since you woke?"

"No," Regina hissed, swallowing at the lump in her throat as she turned to look at the girl who gazed back at her with greater understanding in her expression, "I didn't even know I contained the curse of magic."

"Let me show you something," Emma took her hand into her own, "Trust me?"

"Why should I trust you?" Her legs were shaky, body feeling weak and mind emotionally exhausted.

"You did, at one point," She offered before gently pulling at Regina's hand and she allowed her to, started to follow her with slow footsteps.

The girl led her across the courtyard and around to a side of the castle Regina had never been before. They slipped in a back entrance near dark stairsteps and she began to question what she was getting herself into. But she was too weak to argue, too confused to know who she should believe and who she shouldn't, so she followed her up one staircase after another.

"You okay?" Emma looked back at her with concern and Regina forced a nod, feeling a little light headed after the third staircase. "You look rather pale," She murmured, reaching out to touch the back of her hand to her forehead in a gesture much too close for comfort. _Why was the Princess so concerned with her well being? Why did she feel so comfortable with holding her hand, with worrying over her color and checking her temperature?_

"I'm fine," Regina sighed and averted her gaze, "Where are you taking me?" She shook her head and watched Emma glance at a small door in the hall where they now stood, reaching out to open it.

"Go ahead," The Princess nodded towards yet another staircase beyond the door and Regina stepped through the archway and began to take the steps, shaky hand on the railing. When she reached the top of the steps she was breathless again, but from a whole new reason. There were tall shelves lining the walls, full to the brim of books, trinkets, potted plants and bottles. There were a few skylights in the arched ceiling of the tower, letting natural light in, shining down on the dark wooden furniture. A large table stood in the middle of the room, prompting Regina to move towards it in curiosity.

There she found open books, scribblings of her own hand writing about certain spells, study notes, results of certain magic she'd attempted. A vase stood in the middle of the table with wilted flowers, dried and crumbling petals over her work. Her eyes settled on a piece of parchment underneath the remains of the flowers and she reached out to brush it with a flick of her fingers so she could read the words. _Counting the hours until I come home to you tonight. All of my love, David._

Her mouth ran dry and she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. _Would a monster leave her such a sweet sentiment? Did an uncaring and cold-hearted man build this room for her? Had he been so terrible if he'd known she had magic, yet didn't seem to hold it against her?_

"You used to tease him when he was working in his office by blowing out his candle with your magic when you learned how," Emma said from her position near the top of the staircase, "We would stand by the door and watch him get frustrated, not understanding what was going on, until he saw us and chased us down. That was generally my cue to leave when he caught us, I didn't have the stomach to witness you two canoodling," She chuckled then and rolled her eyes.

Her life here began to lose the sickening edge with the way the Princess painted it and the note she gazed down at, signed by the King with love. From Emma's account it sounded like she'd been happy. "If this is true, how has no one brought it to my attention before?" She questioned the girl, gaze flicking up at her across the room. _Why would Cora lie to her about her life here if she'd forced her to marry the King and was actually happy? It didn't make sense._

"Your mother has uh..well..you know how she is...she hasn't really let anybody speak to you on the odd occasion that we'd try and we've all been scared of upsetting you any more than you already have been..." Emma's small shoulders shrugged and she smiled weakly.

Regina's head spun with confusion. Not knowing who to trust or believe. Each story seemed to contradict itself in one way or the other. Why would Cora discourage her happy life here if she'd wanted her to be Queen? Why hadn't anyone here treated her as if they'd known her if she was close to them? She knew to find the truth she could no longer allow people to tell her how or what she felt. The only thing she could trust here was her own intuition.


	22. Chapter 22

_hi there... ;) xxx_

* * *

The rain beat down on David's head and shoulders, soaking his cloak to the point it felt almost as heavy as his heart. He made his way down the same path that his daughter and her horse had nearly a month ago, not even sure what he was looking for. The woods beckoned him, his soul desperately seeking solace from the quiet chaos of his home. The home where he'd once been so content. Regina was still not in his arms and it was breaking him.

His horse leisurely took the curves of the beaten path, knowing it by heart at how many times he and Emma had ridden the trail together. The last time he'd traveled it he'd found her at the end, unconscious and bleeding, her lame horse found just a few yards away. They had ended up having to put down the mare with it's broken leg, for it was a wound that wasn't going to heal and left it permanently maimed. He shook his head at the thought of how senseless it all was. _If only he'd been more understanding with Emma, none of this would've happened._

Regina was spending all of her time with Cora and when he did see her she almost looked scared of him. It broke his heart to see that distant and fearful look in her eyes, made him walk the other way and lose all of the courage he had to talk to her. Emma was struggling with it too, often coming to David upset at the way Regina had dismissed her and he would have to console her, would have to promise that she didn't mean it. But he knew how it felt to be disregarded by someone they loved so much, whether Regina remembered them or not. _He knew that pain._

His stomach churned as his horse reached the point of the trail where they'd found Emma that fateful night, pulling the reins gently to halt it. He swung his leg over to dismount, wrapping the reins loosely around a limb before he made his way over to the area. He stared at the sodden ground, recalling the pale skin and limp body that he'd clutched to his chest in fear that his only child was dead. He recalled the way she'd suddenly started to look alive, color flooding back in her cheeks and head wound ceasing bleeding.

He recalled the way he had turned to alert his wife of the miracle as well, only to find she'd inherited that sickly pale shade, blood trickling down from her hairline and nose as she strained with the force of healing magic. She'd tensed so hard she'd caused her own nose to bleed. All to save his daughter, to make sure he'd never have to go through another loss. He'd never be able to repay her for such a selfless act. _Maybe he'd never get the chance._

Maybe she would never remember him or the love they shared, but he knew he could not hold that against her. He could not grow resentful of her or the way she clung to her mother, for she did not know any better. Cora and Henry were the only people that were familiar to her in the kingdom. As much as he wanted to run to her and beg her to remember, he wouldn't. He'd never do anything that would frighten or upset her, not after what she'd done for he and Emma.

He let out a deep breath as he sank to his knees in the path before rocking back on his haunches, leaning against a tree near the edge of the trail. His eyes scanned the wooded area as he let his head rest against the bark behind him. The groundskeepers had done a fine job of keeping the paths of the castle's forest grounds clear for riding and hunting. It made his experienced daughter being thrown from a horse that was used to this trail even more of a puzzling accident when he considered that factor.

His heart began to thump in his chest as he quickly scanned the path again, recalling the ride here and realizing that there'd been no rocks or tree limbs in the way that would have tripped the horse. The path was even and well tended to, no holes or slippage that would've caught Emma's mare off guard. He hadn't considered the circumstances surrounding it until now, for he had been too distraught over his wife and her well being to see what had been right in front of him.

Emma claimed she did not remember the fall or what had happened that stormy night, but at the time they'd just considered it a side effect of hitting her head. People often times forgot details after experiencing something tragic. It was nothing that would've made anyone question the circumstances based on that piece of evidence alone. _But when you put it all together._

 _Cora._ The woman who came to her daughter's rescue had been itching for a moment to worm her way back into control of Regina. David forbade it when he sent his knights to invite Henry for a visit and he knew his mother-in-law had been furious. When Regina had gotten hurt, though, he did not feel he could deny her the right to see Regina, for they did not know what her fate held. So she'd practically moved in, hovering over his wife and keeping her safe guarded from the rest of them.

He'd kept his distance for the sheer heartbreak of her not knowing him and how upset she'd gotten when she woke to find him in her bed. The look of disgust in her eyes was not something he wanted to see again. Besides, Cora had made it a point to warn everyone that Regina was highly emotional and to avoid bombarding her, for she feared that it would only aggravate whatever head injury she'd experienced. They'd listened, but David was beginning to wonder if they should have.

* * *

Regina made her way down the main floor of the castle quietly, peeking in the rooms as she went past. It was the only layer of the castle she had not thoroughly adventured yet and she wanted to know what all it held. On the rare occasion she'd been down here she'd only been in the dining hall and in the main foyer before her mother had whisked her back to her quarters. Luckily today she'd found a rare moment away from Cora's watchful eye to get to know more about her surroundings and life here at the palace.

It was a beautiful castle, she couldn't deny that much. There were certain decorative accents that she found touching and she wondered if she had anything to do with them. Her favorite flowers filled wall vases in the halls, the table linens adorned by her favorite colors and trimming style. _Had she been at home here?_ It certainly seemed like she'd added her touch to the place, but then again, perhaps his former wife had merely had similar tastes.

The staff seemed to all be downstairs, for she noticed they became scarcer in the afternoon hours, which was precisely why she'd chosen this time to do her exploring. She hated the way the maids stared at her and whispered. They made her feel like a wild animal in a cage on display for a village full of strangers. Some of them snickered as she passed, making her want to stay holed away in her chamber to avoid it.

She heard voices as she approached the main foyer, causing her to stick closer to the shadows of the inner hallway. One voice sounded familiar to her and she slipped closer to the corner, peering out to see who she may have to awkwardly encounter. The matronly woman who seemed to run the household was talking to a young, heavily pregnant blonde where they sat in the receiving chairs. The fair haired girl looked to be a royal, dressed in expensive fabrics and sitting with the poise of a lifetime in the spotlight.

 _"Thomas said there was no change in her condition, but I wanted to come with him anyways when he said he had business to attend to with David," the blonde spoke with a sad smile gracing her lips and the older woman returned it, reaching out to put a hand over the royal's gloved one. "I miss her."_

 _"We all do," the gray haired woman agreed, "..especially the King. I've not seen him so distraught since he lost his first wife. Maybe even more so than he was then."_

 _"Thomas said he is relying on the drink heavily..."_

 _"And refusing to eat. I'm worried about him and the Princess. The look on their faces when they see her breaks my heart, but not more than the look on the Queen's..."_

Regina swallowed hard as she strained to listen to their soft voices, heart thumping louder in her chest when she realized they were talking about her. They did not know of her presence and had no reason to lie or perpetuate a story. She even remembered the same young woman coming a few weeks ago, but her mother had refused her access to Regina's chamber. They must have been friends of some sort.

" _Is she still as confused and scared as she was?"_

 _The older woman paused, a troubled look adorning her wrinkled features, "She just looks...lost. The girl has been through so much in her young life and now this...when she and the King were so happy, as well."_

 _"David, has he still not tried to speak with her?" The young expectant mother inquired with a gentle shake of her head._

 _"No, not more than a few awkward words here and there when they bump into each other," she sighed, "He says he fears he will upset her and that he could not stand to have her look at him like she feared him again. He's much too heartsick."_

 _"I wish I knew what the answer was."_

 _"Me too, child. Me too."_

Regina sank back into the shadows before making light steps down the hall for the back staircase. Her stomach swirled with anxiety, doubt gnawing at her insides. There was more to her life here than what her mother had been telling her, that much was for sure. In the past week she'd explored the castle, read through notes in her spell-books in the tower, found messages that her husband had left her, overheard conversations of people who had known her. It all seemed to circle back to the idea that she'd been happy with King David.

Her gut told her that she should doubt her mother, as did her history with her. She'd watched Cora scheme for as long as she could remember. But when she'd woken up to find the King in her bed she'd been too troubled and frightened to second guess her. The love and affection her mother had shown her in the past month was more than she'd received from her in a lifetime and it was hard to turn it away. She'd yearned for it for so long that she let it blind her to the truth. _Her mother was lying to her._

She bounded up the staircase to the floor of her bed chamber, navigating her way down the empty hall. When she peered in her mother's chamber across from her own she witnessed Cora there, still napping in the large bed she'd made herself overly comfortable in. Her nerves got the best of her and she decided that she'd wait until later to confront her before she slipped across the hall to her own room.

* * *

"Where is she?" David frowned deeply at Cora when she swung open Regina's bed chamber door. He reeked of ale, his cheeks a little flushed and his eyes glossy, letting her know instantly he'd overindulged at dinner. It seemed to be a habit of his, for she'd observed him staggering down his wing of the castle on multiple occasions. She frowned and stepped outside of Regina's room, closing the door behind her so her daughter would not be made aware of their visitor.

"She's taking a bath," She steeled up at the man before her, swaying on his feet but a determined look remaining on his face. He'd listened to her for the most part, keeping his distance as not to upset Regina anymore than necessary. "Why are you here?"

"I want to see my wife," He nodded once, squaring his shoulders at his mother-in-law. The woman was glaring at him, keeping herself between he and the room he used to share with her daughter. Cora was up to something, that much he'd concluded over the past couple of weeks. She was over-protective of her daughter, kept her away from him and isolated from the rest of them. His realization in the forest earlier that morning had haunted him all day, becoming clearer with every waking moment.

"Your wife thinks of you as a stranger," Cora raised a brow up at him, eyes scanning over his form disgustedly, "Besides, I won't let you speak to her in the state you're in."

"I'm fine," He grew frustrated, giving a quick shake of his head that almost made him lose his balance for a moment, "Damn it, Cora. I know you only paid us that one visit, but that was before we really knew each other. Things are different now, I love her," He looked down at the woman adamantly. _Would she even care that he loved Regina?_

"Oh, and I'm supposed to take your word for that while my poor daughter remains clueless as to who you are?" She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing at the King. He was a big man, but he didn't scare her, even with his current anger, for he did not seem the type to act on it. It surprised her considering her history with royals, knowing they were often quick tempered and violent when they didn't get their way. "You kept me away from her, my own daughter. How am I to know how you've treated her in my absence?!"

David grew more angry with each passing moment at the miserable excuse for a mother that stood before him, spouting off with her hypocrisy. He didn't know which was her true motive; love for her daughter or love of control. Regardless, if she loved Regina, then she'd do the right then once she understood that they really did love each other. _Wouldn't she?_ "She told me how you are, she told me all of the stories. You mistreated and abused her. You made her feel like she wasn't good enough her entire life. You are a terrible mother, and now that you've lost control over her, you jumped at the first opportunity to have her under your thumb once again."

"How dare you?!" Cora hissed and he could tell, even in his drunken haze, that he'd touched a nerve. "I never should've made her marry a King, especially one as controlling as not letting her own mother around her. Why should I believe that you care for her at all?! Maybe you're the one who is missing the control."

"Ask your husband," he spat back at her with a heated glare, "Ask the coward who won't stand up to you what he's witnessed during his time here. I'm not him and you're not going to keep me from my wife any longer," He was in her face now, not caring anymore that she was a woman. She was vile and did not deserve the respect it came with, especially while using her daughter for her own gain. He'd promised Regina he would not let her mother hurt her and he'd meant it. Cora caring for her had surpassed a mother's love and turned into yet another prison for Regina. One she didn't even know she was in.

"Henry is a fool," She clenched her jaw, meeting his gaze and seeing the desperation there. He was thinner than he had been, looked tired around the eyes in a way that she hadn't recalled he looked before. _Did he actually love her daughter? Had Regina come to be with him willingly?_ "He is easily influenced and I'm sure you're a master at putting up a nice front for him."

"What is going on?" Regina's voice caused both of their heads to snap towards the door when it cracked and her face came into view. David's heart stopped at the confusion on her features, wanting so badly to pull her into his arms and hug her. He could tell she was fully dressed and her hair was entirely dry, proving Cora had only been trying to get him away from her chamber with the excuse of her bath.

"Regina," He spoke before he even knew what was going to come out of his mouth, seeing Cora's eyes fill with rage, "You can't trust her. We were happy. I don't know what she's told you, but we really were. You know how controlling she is-"

"That is enough! Can't you see you're frightening her?!" Cora snapped, placing a hand on his chest and making him take a step back from the door, but his eyes never left Regina's. He saw the struggle there, the confusion and the fear. She didn't know who to believe and it was entirely understandable.

"Did she tell you how we found Emma, what had happened to her?" He spoke quickly, knowing Cora had magic and not knowing how long she'd allow him to continue speaking the truth to her daughter, "Regina we found Emma had been thrown from her horse...A horse we found with a broken front leg. The same horse that Emma always takes down that path, one it would've had memorized. A path that had no tree limbs or rocks in the way of it for the horse to lose it's footing on," He stared at Regina pleadingly for her to understand. She'd told him the story of her mother _teaching her a lesson_ for sneaking out on a night ride once by breaking her childhood horses' leg.

"Your Majesty," Her mother grit through her teeth, giving him a warning glare. He glanced at her before looking back to his wife who stared at them both contemplatively. The information was enough to get her wheels turning, he could tell that much.

"I think she had something to do with Emma being thrown, Regina. She no longer had control over you so she set it all up," David swallowed hard, seeing the pain that immediately flickered in Regina's face with the knowledge that her mother had not changed.

"Enough!" Cora snapped and David felt a bolt of energy leave her hand that was on his chest, the force sending him flying back into the wall.

"Mother!" Regina shrieked, stepping from behind the door and into the hall, making a run for the King who slumped against the stone in a momentary lack of consciousness.

"Regina," Her mother's eyes were desperate as she grabbed her arm and made her turn to her, preventing her from approaching him, "I was only trying to help you, you must understand. I thought he was controlling you, I-" She bit her bottom lip, "I thought you'd be happier if you didn't remember what you've been through the past year."

"You did this?" Her brows furrowed, tears welling in her eyes with her mother's admittance of guilt. She had a feeling her mother had been up to something, but she hadn't expected her to admit it so freely.

"I failed you," Cora admitted, glancing towards the King who gasped for breath after it had been knocked from his chest, "I projected my own life and ambition onto you...I took away your first true love. I've been hard on you but...I wanted you to be prepared for what the world can do. I pushed this marriage on you and when I was kept away I began to worry because I was no longer in control of what happened to you...but I'm starting to think I was wrong about your life here," She swallowed hard, bringing a hand up to cup the side of Regina's face, "There's only one way to find out."

Tears rolled down the Queen's cheeks as she stared at her mother, emotions bubbling to the surface and mind racing. She felt the warmth of her mother's magic radiate against the side of her skull before a bright light flashed in her vision and she gasped, memories flooding back to her as her eyes slowly began to focus again. The King came into view, eyes wide as he scrambled to get himself up from the floor.

"Regina, Regina," He repeated her name, his face fuzzy in her line of sight before finally becoming clear when he closed the space between them, "Can you remember? Do you-"

"David," She gasped with the flood of familiarity and relief, fresh tears spilling as she practically jumped on him. Her arms clung around his neck as his own came around her waist and lifted her from the floor into a tight hug, "I do. I remember everything," She half laughed, half cried as she pressed her face into his neck, inhaling his sent.

"I've missed you so much, it's made me crazy," He closed his eyes, holding her in his arms in a suffocating embrace, "Don't ever leave me again. Damn it, Regina, don't you ever. You hear me?" His voice was hoarse as he spoke into her hair and felt her tears against his neck.

Cora stood back, swallowing the knot that formed in her throat at the sight of them. Her daughter was an entirely different person to the girl she'd left here months ago. She was a woman now, a woman clearly in love with her husband. She'd been wrong about him, he truly did care for her. He wasn't the monster in Regina's life, _she was._

No matter what she did when it came to her children, she'd never gotten it right. Making the tough decisions hadn't seemed as monstrous as it did now when she thought it was the right thing for Regina, but she'd begun to see the ways it had hurt her. Her own thirst for power and control had driven her to do to her own flesh and blood worse things than strangers ever could. She didn't need to protect Regina from the world, she needed to protect her from herself.

David lifted his head up as he set Regina back down on her feet, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat before remembering Cora's presence. He glanced at her, saw the conflicted and haunted look on her face, but he remained silent. It wasn't his decision to make when it came to Regina's mother, so he looked back at his wife for guidance.

Regina turned around to face the woman who had been her oppressor for years, her husband's presence behind her silently giving her strength. She wasn't going to cower to her mother anymore and she wasn't about to have her husband do her dirty work. This was her fight. "Mother, I think it's time you leave." Her voice came out surprisingly firm and strong, completely contradictory to what she felt on the inside. She saw Cora work through a bevvy of emotions at her proclamation, but for once she did not disagree with her.

"I am sorry I could not do better for you, Regina," Cora gave her a slow nod, a defeated expression on her face, "Goodbye, my daughter."

"I'm so proud of you," David whispered, putting a hand on Regina's shoulder and squeezing it gently when her mother vanished in a cloud of smoke, an air of finality lingering in the hall afterwards. It surprised him how gracefully the woman had bowed out but he had recognized the expression on her face. He'd seen it multiple times in battle, from men facing their last moments and coming to terms with the decisions they'd made in their lifetime.

Regina turned to him then, tears rolling down her cheeks as she practically dove into his arms. She pressed her head against his chest, wrapped her arms around his waist and felt his own come around her. She sank into him seeking comfort, but something was off in him. She could feel he was holding back and it made a sense of dread creep up inside of her and her mind begin to race. _Could he not forgive her for her distance? Had she hurt him too badly?_

"David?" She lifted her head and saw his troubled eyes looking back at her, "...What...what's wrong?" She stuttered on the words, felt her stomach lurch at the idea of him being cross with her. Him being distant with her was too much for her to handle in addition to losing her mother and regaining her memories. Too much had happened for their relationship to be rocky. _She could not handle that._

"I think...we should talk...I-" David suppressed his the anguish and guilt gripping him, taking a moment to swallow hard as his gaze flickered to the floor, "I have something I need to say to you," He glanced around the hall before looking back at her, giving a nod towards their bed chamber.

Her blood ran cold as he took her hand and led her in, shutting the door behind them before leading her over towards the bed, "You're worrying me, David," She frowned when she tucked one leg under her and sat down, watching him take a seat on the edge nearly two feet away. _Like they were strangers._

"I don't mean to, I just need to get something off of my chest," He gazed at her more seriously now and saw the way she dipped her head towards her lap like she did during vulnerable moments when she expected something bad to happen, "Sweetheart, it's nothing you've done. I'm apologizing to you."

"You what?" Her head snapped up then, lips parted in surprise as she searched his expression for an explanation.

"I can't pretend like I wasn't the one to blame for all of this. I was harsh with Emma and caused her to run away, giving your mother the opportunity to get between us. I let her keep you away from me and everyone who loves you for a month because I was too heartbroken to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something about it," He swallowed hard, keeping his eyes glued to hers as his own welled with unshed tears, "I snapped at you when I thought Emma was dead, I made you feel like you didn't mean as much to me. Which couldn't be further from the truth. I love you so much, Regina. I don't deserve you. Can you ever forgive me?"

Regina's heart threatened to overflow with emotion as she stared back at him. Her big, strong husband nearly weeping with regret as he apologized to her and claimed he didn't deserve her. Her entire life had consisted of being told she wasn't enough for anyone, that she could not be loved or cherished because she was not worthy of such things. But the man who ruled an entire realm and held the most esteemed position in all the land sat before her, a heartbroken mess, begging for her forgiveness like she was the most important thing in his life.

"There's nothing to forgive, David-" She began but he cut her off.

"Don't do that," He smiled weakly, reaching out into the space between them with his palm up in request for her own hand, "Don't belittle what I did to you. Don't make excuses for me like you would your mother or people that hurt you in the past. I'm your husband, I'm the one who should never be that way with you, especially knowing your past. I was wrong, and I'm asking for your forgiveness."

A sob crept up in her throat, threatening her ability to reply, "I...f-forgive you," She gave a quick nod as she pressed her lips together and looked at him through watery eyes. "Now will you just hold me?" She asked in a small voice with a weak smile and a gentle shrug of her shoulders.

"Gods," He muttered in adoration and scooted towards her, pulling her into his embrace quickly and burying his face into her hair, "I have wanted so badly to hold you. I thought you may never come back to me, I-" he shook his head slightly and held her tighter, hearing her let out a small sob into his neck, "You scared me so. I thought I may never hold you again."

Regina lifted her head and gazed at him for a long moment, imprinting the love reflected in his eyes into her memory before pressing her lips to his in a deep kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she brought herself onto his lap, needing to be as close to him as she possibly could. He responded to the kiss with ferver and evidently felt the same need to be close to her, his arms encasing her narrow waist.

David kissed and _kissed_ and _kissed_ her, tasting the salt of her tears on her lips, surely mixed with a few of his own that had escaped him. He ran a hand into the back of her hair, threading his fingers through the locks he'd ached to touch for a month now as he held her face to his. She straddled his lap, his free arm keeping her torso snugly to his when he dipped his tongue into her mouth and they both sighed at the feeling. He missed the way her mouth tasted, the way her lips felt against his own, the sound she made when he scratched his fingers lightly over her scalp like he did now.

Her dress prevented her from the closeness they both desired, he could tell by the way she squirmed and shifted on his lap, so he rolled her onto her back. She moaned into his mouth when he kissed her hungrily and hovered over her, hand running down her side to grip her dress and begin pulling it up her soft legs. His hand worked it's way underneath when he'd hiked it up her thighs, finding her small clothes and rubbing his fingers over her sex through the thin silk.

" _Mmm_ ," She sighed into his mouth, hot breath hitting his lips as she spread her legs wider. Her hands found his hair, gripping the back of it and holding his mouth to hers as she kissed him harder, desperately, moaning against his tongue when his fingers rubbed through the material harder.

He heard her whimper his name, knowing it was her request for more and he obliged, quickly pulling the material down her thighs and legs before pushing her dress up around her waist. Still on his knees, his instinct was to bring her pleasure first, but he found her pushing herself to sit up and draw her dress up over her head in an attempt to be fully bare. His hands came to assist gladly, pulling the heavy material from her and leaving her in only her corset.

"Damn thing," He muttered with a hoarse breath and they both laughed softly as he reached around her waist to start untying the back of it.

Their faces were only inches apart as he worked at removing the item of clothing and she smiled warmly at him, making his heart beat faster. Her own hands came up to untie his own and pull it from his breeches, working it up over his abs before slipping her hands underneath the cotton. He groaned as her fingers explored the skin of his sides and back as she leaned in and began to kiss at his neck, making it harder for him to concentrate on the difficult corset keeping the rest of her hidden from him.

"Finally," He groaned when the material parted and he threw it off the side of the bed, watching her fall back down against the bed with a satisfied smile, beautiful freed breasts coming into his view. Her eyes watched him as he took the moment to pull his shirt over his head and discard it before working on getting his pants off. He stole a glance up at her, propped up on her elbows and drinking in the sight of his body, causing him to grin and revel in the moment when he kicked his breeches off and saw her bite her lip at his freed member.

"Come here," She practically growled and it was a heavenly sound to his ears, considering how far she'd come in being comfortable with her own sexuality. Her hands gripped the back of his neck and she pulled him down to her, his arms bending and elbows pressing into the mattress on each side of her. He groaned when his cock slipped against her slick folds and she curled her hips up to him anxiously.

David wasted no time in sinking into her, making them both moan loudly at the feeling of their bodies becoming one. His lips found her neck and one of his hands moved to cup her breast and she let her head fall back, realizing how long it had been since she felt the sensation of her husband ontop of her, driving her into the mattress. She clamped her legs around his waist, heels digging into his lower back, pushing her hips up to meet each thrust.

"I hope you're prepared, I've got a month of wanting you built up inside of me," He groaned into her skin, teasing and tugging at her nipple with his fingers as he nipped and kissed at her skin. His cock was throbbing already and she felt gloriously tight after a month of not being inside of her, spurning him to push deeper and harder, especially with the way she was meeting his movements.

"You better had," Her tone was laced with a bit of possessiveness in her reply, fingernails scraping over his shoulders and up over his neck, one hand tugging on his hair and the other sliding down his back as he drove into her. There was a deep burning already growing within her, her body's reaction to his ministrations that making her easy for him, turning her into a blabbering fool. " _Harder, please David, like that, mmm-oh_!"

David groaned loudly into her neck as he lifted her head, wanting to watch her expressions. Seeing her lips part and her eyes clamp shut as her orgasm approached was something he'd never tire of and he was thankful she was close already, for he would not last long after a month of being denied her. Evidently her body has missed him too, for it began to squirm and jerk underneath him when he slipped the hand from her breast under her lower back and down to her ass. He spread his hand wide, let his middle finger slip between the rounded mounds and apply a bit of pressure as he pushed her hips up to his from behind, effectively opening her more to him.

" _David_!" She gasped loudly, back arching from the bed when he started to rut deeply into her once he'd found her spot again, " _Oh god_ ," She whined, knees drawn up against his sides and her hands sliding down to grip his ass, fingers digging into his flesh and pulling him deeper, making him grunt with determination not to cum before she did.

" _Fuck, yes_ ," He mumbled, putting more weight on the elbow that held him up, allowing him to press his other hand against her ass more firmly and his middle finger to apply more pressure, "Regina!" He groaned loudly when she clamped on him with a yelp and came violently, causing him to spill inside of her nearly within the same second. Her hips jerked and writhed underneath him and she let out a string of sounds that told him it was just as intense as it was for him before his strength left him and he half collapsed on her.

She grunted with his body weight, though it wasn't unbearable after the high her body experienced. A dizzy smile graced her features as she stared at the ceiling, fingers grazing his scalp as his face rested in her neck, "If you've got a month worth of that in you, I'm not complaining."


	23. Chapter 23

_so, originally i had planned to have them end up in storybrooke, but i've grown quite fond of them in the Enchanted Forest. however, i think them in Storybrooke would also be a fun thing to explore with this AU history...would you all still want to see that or do you prefer this enchanted forest version of EC? i like both ideas and can't decide, so i thought i'd ask you. please let me know! xxx_

* * *

" _Daviiiid_."

Regina's voice felt foreign to her own ears, heart thumping wildly in her chest as she gripped the headboard with white knuckles. She whimpered and clamped her eyes shut as her head fell forward between her outstretched. _It was too much._

She felt his deep groan reverberate between her thighs and her stomach tensed, gasp escaping her lips. Her thighs quivered against the sides of his head, feeling his hands running up the sides of them and over the rounds of her ass. His tongue was doing a quick, delicious swirl over her clit, driving her higher and higher as she struggled to keep herself in place over his mouth.

She opened her eyes to glance down quickly when she felt his tongue stop and his lips curl against her, a heavy breath escaping her. "What's wrong?"

David gave her a grin, half of his mouth hidden by her sex and the realization of their position made her cheeks flush red, "You're holding back. You can move if you want to," He kissed her thigh, making her shiver as he curled his hands over the tops of her thighs and made her sit on his mouth more firmly.

" _Oh_!" She gasped loudly, feeling the stubble of his chin against her opening, nose brushing her slit and tongue flattening over her clit once more, _"It's so...oh_..." Her hips jerked when he started to nibble at her bundle of nerves, causing her to grind down on him and let out a moan.

 _Days._ They had been holed up for days since she'd regained her memories. Talking, making love, taking small breaks to go eat meals with their family before returning back to their chamber to make up for lost time. Granny had joked that they were obsessed with each other, but they both knew that the statement wasn't far from the truth. Their hands were constantly on each other, eyes searching for one another's presence if they weren't nearby. _It was glorious._

"Mmm, I have missed the taste of you," David paused his ministrations to mumble before returning his attention to her clit, hands massaging her ass where he kept her sitting on him.

She'd been shocked when he'd picked her up from straddling his abdomen and moved her up his body. The position had never occurred to her and it made her nervous at first, insecurity creeping up in her at how to react. But it felt so good, the eroticism of being so open to him making her stomach begin to coil tightly.

"Regina," She heard him say a little more firmly against her, "You're still not giving into what you want," He chided and he was gazing up at her from between her thighs when she glanced down at him. "Stop thinking so much. Just feel it."

She bit down on her lip, taking a shaky breath before nodding determinedly. A groan escaped her when he went back to suckling at her clit and her fingers tensed where they gripped the headboard. Her knees pressed firmly into the bed on each side of his head as she began to rock forward gently, hearing him _mmm_ in encouragement. The pleasure was sinful, she was sure of it. The position held all of the perks of him going down on her but she was in better control of the friction, able to roll her hips at her own pace as his tongue teased her.

"You're so good at this," She confessed with a whimper, using her grip of the headboard for leverage as she began to rock herself back and forth on his mouth. The warm wetness of his tongue against her clit, his nose brushing her folds, square chin grazing her sex, had her hips jerking in an anxious manner to ride his face harder.

"Mmm," He groaned deeply into her sex, sending little jolts of electricity through her abdomen. "You've got me so stiff."

Her breath caught in her throat at the thought of him taking her, one of her hands coming down to thread through his hair as she moaned and rolled her hips with more force. His hands slid from her ass, caressing up her sides and cupping her breasts, fingers teasing and plucking her nipples. She lost what little control she had left, starting to ride his mouth in earnest, choked moans and cries spilling form her lips.

" _Uhhhhn...Dav-id_ ," She choked, grip tightening on the headboard as her body threatened to curl into itself with the pleasure. Her orgasm approached her rapidly and she ground herself on his tongue, keening at the constant friction against her clit. The rolling of her hips was quickly drawing the pleasure to her center and she felt her abdomen quickly grow tense.

His fingers gripped her ass once again to guide her when her hips became uncoordinated and she struggled to keep her tempo on her ascent. He dug his fingers into her flesh, keeping her firmly on his mouth and she cried out as she rocked forward and backward greedily now. A high pitched moan ripped from her throat when she reached her peak, the hand in his hair coming back up to grip the headboard for more support as she writhed over him. Whimpers fell from her lips as she twitched and leaned forward to rest her head against the back of her hands, gasping for breath.

She came to when he picked her up by her hips, pulling her down the bed and underneath him in one swift roll over. Her head fell back and she moaned at the way he was able to handle her with ease, feeling his large frame settle over her own petite one. When she opened her eyes he was smirking down at her intently, pumping himself with his free hand, the other pressing into the mattress beside her head, keeping himself from crushing her with his weight.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" His voice was a few octaves lower and it stirred something in her belly that was still experiencing spasms from her first orgasm. She sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth as she bent her legs at the knees, caressing her feet up over his sides and down his lower back, effectively pulling him closer to her and locking her thighs around his sides.

"I think I do," She lifted her head and began to kiss at his neck and over his shoulders, hearing him groan in appreciation. He was rubbing his tip against her, pushing it through her folds at an achingly slow pace before rubbing it over her entire sex, spreading her arousal. Her fingers curled over his shoulders, fingernails scratching the skin lightly, "If yesterday in the library was any indication."

"Hmm," He smirked near her ear, the breath making her hair tickle it as he began to push himself inside of her, "I told you, every room in the castle."

" _Ahh_ ," Her lips parted and her face fell from his neck to the bed, opening her eyes to gaze up at him as he filled her. She managed a smile once he'd sank into her all of the way and held still to let her adjust, "I love you," She declared breathlessly as she ran a hand up his neck and the side of his face, brushing a thumb over the stubble of his jaw before carding her fingers in his hair.

He gave her a warm smile then and leaned down to kiss her hungrily, "Lo..ve... you...more," He murmured in between tongue kisses, making her moan in response when he began to rock his himself into her. His cock was deliciously hard and thick, stretching her but not painfully so. He withdrew it just slightly before slowly pumping into her heat again, hitting her deeply. She loved how he knew exactly the way she liked to be taken, he was so aware of her body, more so than she was at times.

"I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you," He groaned against her lips, breaking their kiss as he pressed his forehead to hers. A little bit of doubt bloomed in her at the words but she pushed it down, instead focusing on her fingers exploring his back, feeling the muscles working underneath them. Her legs clamped around his back as she curled her lower half up to meet his movements, heat pooling in her belly in a slow burn. She'd found that after the first one, her following orgasms were easier to achieve for her body was already humming with pleasure.

"Mmm, fuck Regina, you're so wet for me," He said gruffly and she could feel the need in his voice, "I love how easily you take me."

She moaned and tilted her chin up so she could nip his bottom lip, "Harder," She beckoned him, knowing he wanted to, as did she. The moderate pace they were achieving was making her ache with how aroused she was, to the point she almost felt like squirming away from the penetration. She needed it to be rougher, needed him to thrust past her over-sensitivity.

David let out a groan as his head fell to the side of hers and he jerked his hips into her once, evoking a cry from her lips. She hissed down his ear, fingernails digging into the dip in his back as he did it _again_ and _again_ and _again_. She clung to him, pulling him tighter, pressing her heels into his lower back, legs clenching and pulling him deeper.

"Like that!" Her voice rasped and her back arched, rolling her hips up to his firm thrust before she exploded, body tensing and jerking underneath him. David growled and expelled a breath against her ear as he slipped from her quickly, his hot seed coating her inner thigh, trickling over her skin to mix with her own arousal.

He rolled off of her body and fell onto his back on the bed beside her, reaching out to take her hand into his own and placing it on his chest. She turned her head and gave him a smile, seeing him glance her way and do the same before threading his fingers through hers and pulling her hand up to kiss her knuckles.

"I'm so glad you've come back to me," He murmured, staring at her for a moment before turning his gaze towards the ceiling. She felt the rise and fall of his chest, the thump of his heart under her hand, and she smiled to herself as she watched him. He was so handsome, so honest, so good. _And he was hers._

"Me too," She sighed and turned her own gaze to the high, intricate ceiling of the bed chamber. The canopy over the posts was somewhat sheer, creating a bit of privacy for them but allowing her to see through it to the carefully carved wood and stone above them. "I'm afraid we should probably show ourselves for more than meals soon, though," A grin graced her lips, "Granny is deviling me incessantly about it anytime she sees me."

"Hm, I'm sure my council is wondering what in the hell happened to me," David chuckled under his breath, "I did speak with Red, though. She's going to start training Emma again."

"Really?" Regina smiled warmly, rolling onto her side to scoot a little closer towards him when her body cooled and she felt the chill of the air.

"Yeah," He sighed with a smile, draping an arm over her side and cuddling her to him, "Do you think I'm making the right choice?"

"You're letting her be who she is and do what makes her happy," She tilted her head back to look into his eyes, "Of course you are. I wish my parents had done that for me."

"Do you think you'll hear from your mother again?" He looked at her with curious eyes and she appreciated the fact that there was no trace of judgement or malice in his expression at the mention of her mother. It made her feel safe to talk to him about it. "Do you want to?"

"I..." Regina pressed her lips together and shifted her eyes from his. Her mother was the most complicated relationship in her life and she hated how conflicted it made her feel, "I don't know if she'll ever reach out...but a part of me...can't help but...hope some day she comes around," She smiles weakly, "It's foolish, I know. But I always had this fantasy that she'd change and she'd begin to see me as a my own person...and that she'd love me for who I am, even if she didn't have a say in it..."

David's hand ran over her hair gently and he returned her weak smile, "It's not foolish, she's your mother. No matter what your parents do to you, you'll always love them and want their acceptance."

She gave a small nod and bit down on her bottom lip in an attempt to keep the tears welling from spilling down her cheeks when she shifted her gaze back to his, "Granny has been so loving towards me I...I realized how things should be between my mother and I...before I had my memories back she was warm and caring...it made me feel like a child how much I wanted her comfort..."

Her husband gazed back at her with an expression full of compassion and understanding, making it hard for her to meet his gaze without crying, "My father used to come home drunk and beat my mother, beat me when I tried to get in the way of it. But the odd occasion that he was sober he was the best husband and father we could've asked for. I knew I should've hated him for how he treated us. I felt like wanting my father's acceptance was betraying my mother."

Regina saw the pain etched in his expression at the memory, prompting her to reach her hand up and run her fingers over his jaw, "And your mother? What was she like?"

He smiled through glossy eyes at her with the mention of his mother, "The most tender-hearted person I'd ever known until I met you. She was soft spoken but warm. Your temperament reminds me a lot of her, but she didn't have your backbone, or she never found it when it came to my father. I can't really hold that against her...When you spend so many years being abused by someone like that you begin to believe you deserve it, I guess."

She felt his fingers graze over the small of her back affectionately as he spoke and she nodded in understanding. It warmed her heart to know he felt she was similar to a woman who was so near to his heart, while it broke her heart to know he had to watch his mother go through what she had "You do...My mother always made me feel like I was never enough. She only showed me her approval when I would do what she wanted and if I didn't there would be dire consequences and..." Her breath hitched, voice cracking with a wave of emotion.

"And?" He prodded her gently, flattening his hand over her back and rubbing it in soothing circles.

"My father..he..he never stood up to her for me," She averted her gaze, brows furrowing as she frowned, "I know he wasn't...wasn't strong enough to win in an argument against her..but he never even tried and it made me feel like...I wasn't good enough for my mother to love or my father to stand up for. No one ever...protected me. I never had that until..y-" She swallowed hard at the lump in her throat, looking back up to his blue depths, "..you."

"I know he loves you," David nodded in understanding, "But I do wish he'd been stronger for you. You deserve to be loved for who you are and protected and so much more, Regina."

She smiled weakly, her throat threatening to close off with emotion, "I didn't know your mother but I do know she'd be so proud of the man you are."

"Thank you," He murmured, pressing his forehead to hers and bringing his hand up to brush a tear from her cheek, "I do know your mother, and while I hate what she's done to you, I'm so grateful it brought you to me."

"Me too."

* * *

"You have no idea how glad I am that you're back to normal," Red declared with wide eyes from her seat on the edge of Regina's work table in her tower, legs dangling over the edge in a childlike manner, "He's been a mess."

"He looks thinner," Regina glanced up at her friend as she flicked through one of her magic books. She and Ruby had decided at breakfast that they'd spend the day picking up where they left off in trying to find something to help her at night. David had went to discuss some usual activity in the north woods of the realm with his council and the knighthood, leaving her free for the day. While she would miss him, she didn't mind. She was eager to get back to her magic and helping Ruby. It gave her purpose.

"Mhm, he didn't eat," She sighed, "He just drank. I can't tell you how many times I had to help him to his old chamber. So glad that's over," Red smirked and rolled her eyes, causing Regina to chuckle and bite her bottom lip.

"I'm not saying I'm happy he was so miserable but..." Regina glanced back down to her magic book on the table in hesitation, "No one has ever been that bothered by my absence..."

It saddened and warmed her to think of David's despair. _Had anyone loved her that much?_ Her mother had treated her like a prized race horse her entire life, training and preparing her to be sold off to the highest bidder. Her father had allowed it, not valuing her enough to have the courage to defend his daughter against her mother. Daniel had loved her, but their time together was stolen kisses during hour long riding lessons. They were so young and innocent and naive in their love, neither having experienced enough of life or life together.

While Daniel would always remain her first love and special in his own right, David had seen her at her worst. He'd been a friend to her. He'd proven himself to her. He'd nearly fallen apart in her absence. Her husband had lived life and experienced love, loss and heartbreak. He understood the dark period she went through because he'd been there himself. It somehow made what they had deeper and more meaningful to her. She could get lost in his love, could let it swallow her whole if she wasn't careful.

"David really loves you," Red pulled her from her thoughts and Regina found her smiling at her when she lifted her gaze. "I sure am glad you two decided to leave your room, too. Granny and I were starting to worry you all were going to starve yourselves or die of thirst, one."

Regina grinned and rolled her eyes, "Here, make yourself useful," She said as she handed over the book for Red to prop open in her lap so she could reference it as she mixed the ingredients for the potion.

"Did David tell you I'm going to start giving Emma lessons again?" Red perked up with a smile, holding the book dutifully for the Queen.

"He did, I'm glad he came around," Regina smiled with a glance at her friend before concentrating on putting a few drops of oil into the bottle, "Emma will be so happy. Her birthday is coming soon. I'm thinking I will have special armor and clothing made for her. You can't ride horses and fence properly in a dress, after all."

"She'll love that so much. I'm glad you two get along so well. She's missing you, though, I can tell. I think she's dying for some attention from you but doesn't want to ask you for it," Red chuckled, "Since you and the King have been a little preoccupied."

"Really?" Regina set her glass vial down on the table in front of her with a smile before flipping a page in the book Ruby held, "Now I feel guilty...I'll have to plan something special for us. What time will your lesson be over?"

* * *

"It's about time, Princess."

Emma startled on her way into her bed chamber later that evening, seeing the Queen sitting in her bed with a cheerful smile. It puzzled her until she glanced around to see a small picnic spread out on the bed. A tray of snacks, books and a small bottle of wine cluttered her bedspread and the nightstands beside it. The Queen was dressed in her nightgown and had apparently made herself at home in her room.

"What are you doing?" She asked her with a confused smile, biting down on her bottom lip. She'd missed her step-mother desperately while she'd lost her memories, but she knew her father had been distraught. Since Regina had returned to normal, Emma had tried to give them space, seeing how oblivious they were to anything but each other.

"I thought we'd have a sleepover," Regina shrugged, reaching out for a piece of cheese and popping it in her mouth, smiling with her mouth closed as she chewed and swallowed, "I've missed you...Tell anyone and it's your head, though."

Emma laughed, propping her sword in the corner near her dresser, "I've missed you, too," She admitted, kicking off her shoes on her way over to the bed, "What about father, though? Won't he be looking for you?"

"Please," Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes with a laugh as Emma, "I sent he and Ruby to the stables with a deck of cards and some ale. He'll be fine without me for one night," She grinned.

Emma tried not to beam, biting down on her lip, "Let me go change into my nightgown."

"Hurry up," Her step mother teased.

When she came back from her bath chamber the Queen was pouring them a goblet of wine with a mischievous expression, "Not a word of this to your father, you got it?"

She couldn't help but laugh as she made her way over to the bed and plopped down beside her, taking the goblet, "Got it."

"So how was your lesson? Tell me everything," Regina asked and Emma basked in the attention, feeling her step-mother was actually interested. The only female attention she'd had was Ruby and Granny, and while she loved them both, she enjoyed the odd combination of friend and motherly figure she had in Regina.

"Amazing. Ruby knows so much about sword fighting. Today we even used real swords," She knew she was talking animatedly but Regina smiled warmly, no hint of judgement, "She said after I got good at it she would teach me with horses. We even trained in the courtyard where the new knights are being trained."

"That sounds exciting," The Queen smiled and propped a few pillows up against the headboard to lean on.

"Yeah, it was. I get along with most of them," Emma rambled with a roll of her eyes, "Except this one. Neal I think is his name. He's obnoxious, thinks he'll be better at fighting than me because I'm a girl."

"All the more reason to prove him wrong," Regina perked an eyebrow with a smirk, "I know you can do it."

"Oh, I will," She grinned and reveled in the way her step-mother laughed at her, "I'll show him."

"Is he cute?" Regina bit down on her bottom lip to suppress a grin at the way her step daughter talked about the boy. She'd found Daniel irritating at first with the way he treated her, like she was fragile and incapable of being a real horse rider because she was a woman. The frustration with each other had slowly become laced with flirtation, their first kiss even happening after a quarrel between them.

"No," Emma replied quickly, taking a gulp of her wine, "Well...I don't know. Maybe, if he wasn't such an ass."

"How old is he?" Her step-mother asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Almost sixteen, I think. Usually they train until they turn sixteen, then they're inducted," Emma shrugged.

Regina relaxed, considering the age difference appropriate for an adolescent crush. Emma would be fourteen in just a few weeks and in a year or so would probably be at the age where she'd find interest in fliration. "Well, maybe you'll end up friends," She shrugged with a smile.

"I _seriously_ doubt that."

She laughed again at her step-daughter, "I think it's brave what you're doing, Emma. Most girls your age are worrying about what dress they'll wear to a ball and dying to settle down and find a prince. I like that you don't care, it reminds me of myself at your age."

"Really?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Well, you're just so happy with my father," Emma chuckled, "I know he wasn't who you wanted to marry but, you wanted to get married to someone..you wanted to settle down."

Regina grinned, "All I wanted to do at your age was ride horses and go on adventures when I could get away from my mother. She was constantly bringing suitors around during my teen years and would be livid when I didn't find interest in any of them. I wasn't interested in any boy until Daniel, but even then I was only interested because we rode horses and argued and it was exciting. I wasn't always this boring, you know," She rolled her eyes playfully.

"I don't think you're boring," Emma smiled back at her, "You can ride better than most men I know. And you bring out a playful side to my dad I haven't seen since I was younger. Like when we play jokes on him," She grinned, "You're just more feminine than I am, you fit the role of Queen really well. You're always made up and wearing pretty dresses and I'm," She nodded towards her sword in the corner, "Getting mud up to my knees and sweaty."

"There's nothing wrong with that," the Queen chuckled and shrugged, "The important thing is we can be ourselves. Right?"

"Right," She let out a breath and looked at her more timidly, the kindness from the woman in front of her bringing up the guilt inside of her. She hadn't meant to, but she'd put the Queen through so much in the past couple of months, "Regina...are you really not mad at me for what I did? Running into the forest like that and getting hurt? I feel so bad for what I put you through..."

"Emma I did the same thing when I was your age," She frowned seriously, reaching out to cover her hand with her own, "I understand what it's like to feel confused and trapped and just want to get away. But next time just come and talk to me, okay? I promise I won't run and tell everything you've said to your father. If anything I will only try to help him understand where you're coming from. You can trust me."

Emma nodded in understanding, not remembering a time she'd been so happy since her mother had died. She hadn't had what Regina was giving her before, not during her teens, and it was an overwhelming feeling to have a motherly confidant. Everything suddenly felt lighter, the castle having been so solemn and lifeless until Regina appeared, breathing life back into her family. "I'm really glad you're here, Regina."

The Queen must've sensed her struggle to control her emotions and that she wasn't the type of person who was comfortable with openly showing them. She spoke up then teasingly, effectively lightening the mood, giving Emma exactly what she needed in the moment, "You're okay too, I guess."


	24. Chapter 24

_an long update since you waited extra long for it ;) xxx_

* * *

"It's been three months since that Cora mess and you two are still at it like rabbits," Granny squawked with a good humored shake of her head as she came into the council meeting to see the King and Queen in a heated make-out session. The Queen was sitting on the edge of the round table in front of the King's chair, David standing in between her legs with hands under layers of dress, kissing her passionately. They jumped and let go of each other at the knowledge they were not alone, Regina's cheeks tingeing pink when David helped her off of the edge of the table.

Red came into the council room only a few minutes later, catching them untangling from one another and adjusting clothing, "Go David," She smirked as she came around to sit beside Granny, "I mean, 'ew'," She corrected herself at the older wolf's stern glance her way for talking so crudely about the Queen.

David chuckled, sitting down in his chair beside Regina's, leaning over to kiss her head at the way she tucked her head and blanched. It was Red's sense of humor and she meant no harm or disrespect by it, plus his wife was adorable when she was caught in the act like this. "Sorry, we lost track of time."

"I bet you did," Granny smirked over her glasses, "What's this meeting about, Your Majesty? Besides you two swapping spit."

"I couldn't tell you," He let out a breath, glancing at her from Regina as he reached out to hold her hand, "A couple of the leaders from the knight's watch said they have some urgent information for us."

"Why didn't anyone tell me there was a meeting?" Emma frowned as she came into the council room, meeting their surprised glances, "What? I'm training for the knighthood now and I'm the Princess. I have a say in these things, too."

"You're learning to fight, you won't be headed off to battle anytime soon," David raised an eyebrow firmly at his daughter and Regina squeezed his hand, giving him a look when he glanced her way. "What?" He whispered at her though everyone saw the exchange. Granny, Ruby and Emma all glanced at one another with a smirk at the way the Queen was able to curb David's strict nature.

David sighed and glanced at all of them, leaning back in his chair and threading his fingers through Regina as the room filled with council members and knights. He frowned at the nervous energy that took over the room and felt his wife was keenly aware of it as well, for her magic buzzed gently against his palm. He shared a glance at her, saw her brow furrow before squeezing her hand reassuringly.

"What's this meeting about?" He addressed the men before him that crowded around the round table. There were knights, dwarves and various others on his council that helped run the kingdom and keep order.

"Your Majesty, King George has sent men to attack two different knight posts already," The knight that had secretly admired the Queen spoke up with a worried expression, "We sent a couple of scouts to get information and it seems George is planning an attack on this kingdom to get revenge on you and take control of our resources."

"He and what army?" David frowned, feeling all eyes on him. King George had always wanted payback on him, but he was never a real threat considering he had no money left. And war took money.

"Apparently he has taken over Midas' kingdom, even Prince Thomas and Princess Ella have been evicted from their estate. We sent some guards to escort them to safety," The knight nodded with a frown, "King George has somehow managed to acquire an army and enough supplies to start making attacks on us. We anticipate them trying to invade within two days."

"Send extra men to our knights' posts and I want a guard at every hundred yards of the castle perimeter," David stood abruptly, concern catapulting him into action, "Edward, tell men to get their battle gear ready. I want a small organized army that will remain here, the rest of us will scout out George's men and meet them for battle before they even get close to our castle."

"David, you're not going," Regina frowned up at him quickly, speaking up then. She was usually quiet at these meetings but not when it came to her husband's life being on the line. They'd just almost lost each other three months ago, he wasn't going off to war.

"Regina," He glanced down at her, a hint of an apology in his eyes as she pressed his lips into a firm line before looking back to the men, "Go. Have the stable workers get the horses ready and get my armor. We'll leave in the morning and make camp halfway."

"You can't be serious," Regina stood then, grabbing his arm and turning him to her when everyone filed out of the room except Emma, Granny and Ruby who still sat in stunned silence, "Why would you put yourself on the front line?!"

"Because I'm the King," He shook his head frowning deeply, "I have to go, Regina. These are our people."

"We have soldiers for this!" Her eyes widened and she threw here hands up in the air, surprising the women in the room with a glimpse of her boldness, "I forbid you to go to battle, David."

"You can't forbid me to do anything," His expression hardened at her lack of understanding. How could she expect him to sit at home and let his men go to battle for him? He was their leader. "If I don't face this, how can I expect them to risk their life for it?"

"Plenty of Kings do not fight in their own wars," Regina snapped back at him, emotion gathering in her chest and straining her voice. She knew it was a lot to ask him to give up his pride and sit this battle out, but she could not lose him. So she grasped at straws, demanding that he stay, "What if something happens to you? What will I do-"

"Nothing will happen to me," He pulled her to him, staring into her eyes seriously as he gripped her forearms, "I promise."

"You can't promise that," She frowned and bowed her head, jerking her arms from his grasp.

"I'll go with him, Regina," Emma stood, pushing back her chair, "I've been training for months. I'm ready."

"Absolutely not," David actually chuckled when he looked her way, "No way. Sit down, Princess."

"David," Regina reprimanded him, "Don't be condescending. She's only trying to help."

"I'm sorry? You think I should let her join me and my men in battle?" He glanced back at his wife incredulously, irritation rising by the minute. All of their lives were in danger and it rested on his shoulders to protect them, yet they seemed to only want to make it harder for him to do so.

"Of course not but-"

"Dad, I can do it. I even have the armor Regina got me on my birthday," Emma cut in, her statement causing David to raise an eyebrow at Regina.

"I told you we shouldn't have encouraged this," He let out a deep breath, watching Regina cross her arms and clench her jaw. "You're not going, Emma. End of story. You wouldn't last five minutes out there around trained soldiers and you'd get us both killed while I tried to protect you."

"What is the point in letting me learn to fight if you'll never let me use it?" She yelled at her father, "I'm not some dainty princess. I don't need saving. I can fight better than half the boys joining the knighthood this season and I've worked harder than any of them!"

"You're too young!" David turned to her, shouting back at her in frustration, "Now I don't want to hear another word on it!"

Emma's eyes steeled and she clenched her fists, turning to storm out of the council chambers, "Fine!"

"Thank god she's an only child," He muttered and shook his head, glancing over to Regina who was staring daggers at him. Her expression was hard, eyes glossy with unshed tears as they often got when she was angry. She was a little ball of emotion and he'd come to be able to easily read her, "What?" He snapped a little harsher than he should have, "I suppose you feel the need to critique my parenting again?"

Regina's throat worked but she only stared at him rather blankly, "No. What would I know about parenting, anyways?" She grit back at him, jaw clenched in an attempt to keep in control of her emotions. He stared at her for a moment almost apologetically before turning and stalking out of the council room. A heavy silence filled the air before the older lady spoke up from her seat.

"I suspect you'll know a lot more about it here in five or six months," Granny said softly and Regina merely closed her eyes, pressing a hand over her face as she sat down in her chair quickly and let out a sob.

Granny and Ruby exchanged a knowing glance, both of them being able to sense it due their primal instinct, "Here, now. He's just a hard headed thing," The older wolf stood and shuffled over to the Queen's chair, running a hand over her hair. Ruby followed, coming around to the other side and squatting as she put a hand on Regain's arm.

"He didn't mean what he said, he's going to be so happy about having another child, Regina. Trust me," Ruby said, causing Regina to lift her head quickly, staring up at them with surprised, tear-stained eyes.

"How did you know?"

"Animals can sense it," Ruby shrugged and gave a warm smile to the Queen with red rimmed eyes, running a hand over her arm in a soothing manner.

"That and I haven't had to replace your menstrual linens in your bed chamber for about three months," Granny raised an eyebrow, tucking Regina's hair behind her ear in a comforting manner, "How long have you known yourself?"

"I just realized myself this week I...I've been feeling sick throughout the day," Regina nodded, pressing a hand to her abdomen, "I hadn't realized it had been three months, I was going to wait until this month had passed to tell him just to be sure...There's been so much going on I..." She shook her head, frowning at how foolish she seemed. How was she prepared to be a mother if she didn't even know she was pregnant until nearly four months along?

"It happens, child," Granny said in a motherly tone, reaching down to thumb away the tears from Regina's cheeks, "He'll be thrilled."

"I don't know," Regina gazed down at her lap, anxiety swirling in her stomach, combining with the morning sickness to make her feel weak and queasy. "We haven't talked about it in quite some time...The last time we did he said he wanted us to have time along first...and now..." She glanced up and gave a pained smile as she shrugged in reference to what the King just said.

"He's a hotheaded idiot," Ruby let out a breath, "Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No, please," She glanced at both of them pleadingly, "Promise me you won't say a word? He has so much on his shoulders right now, I can't spring this on him right before a potential war. The pair of werewolves exchanged a hesitant glance before nodding and murmuring their agreements. "Thank you," She sighed, standing from her chair, "I'm sorry to be such a blubbering mess."

"Nonsense, that babe in your belly is gonna have that effect on you," Granny ran a hand over the Queen's shoulder and gave it a squeeze, "You're allowed to cry."

"Just don't expect me to comfort you," Ruby grinned playfully, earning a weak smile from Regina as they walked on each side of her out of the room.

* * *

Regina sat perched in her bed chamber window seat, staring out into the darkness. She could see the glowing torch lights of the knight's in the courtyard, saddling horses and strapping themselves with weaponry and camp supplies. It was too dark to determine if her husband was down there or if her had already left the premises, so she wrapped her arms around her tucked legs and rested her chin on her knees, preparing for a sleepless night.

Emma had retired to her own bed chamber, undoubtedly brooding and pouting incessantly. She'd tried to knock on her door to speak with her, but the princess hadn't responded and Regina didn't have the strength to plead with her. The castle was in an uproar as everyone prepared for a possible attack and invasion. Extra food and supplies were being brought in just in case they would have to barricade the walls against George's men.

The commotion had barely given her a moment to process what was happening inside of her. A piece of she and David, growing safely in her womb and arriving in just five to six months. She shivered as anxiety ran through her at the thought. _What would David say? Would he be happy? Disappointed that it happened sooner than expected? Would she be a good mother? What did she even know about being a mother? Would she be like Cora?_

She'd never even held a baby before. Anxiety rose in her chest at the thought of facing all of it alone should something happen to her husband during this excursion. Her head fell gently against the window pane, mentally cursing herself for even considering something a possibility. David would come back to her. He'd fought many battles before and was a very skilled fighter.

Calling him out in front of his entire council had been immature of her, she knew that now, but at the time she had done it before she realized. She was so worried about losing another person she loved that she hadn't care who had been around. Trying to force him to swallow his pride and sit this battle out for her was not a fair thing to ask of him, especially in front of men he was in charge of leading.

The door to their bedchamber came open then and her heart got caught in her throat when she saw him step in, closing the door behind him. "You're still here?" She asked, surprised from her perch in the window.

"Of course I am, you didn't think I'd leave without apologizing to you and saying goodbye, did you?" He smiled weakly, closing the distance between them with long strides.

"For what?" She bit down on her bottom lip, giving a small shrug of her shoulders, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I was an ass," He shook his head with a frown, "I'm hot headed and I took my anger out on you when Emma upset me. I just...I'm so worried about protecting the both of you and keep you from harm's way."

"I wasn't trying to go against you or critique your parenting of Emma," She frowned at him seriously, hurt lacing her expression and making him feel like a heel. He had worried about his sharp words towards her all afternoon while preparing his troops, leaving him distracted and short tempered with everyone.

"My love, I know that," He stepped up to the window seat, sitting on the other side of it to look straight at her, "I'm sorry...I'll only be gone a week at most. We're hoping that if we meet George's men aggressively and don't let them get too close that we can thwart his mission before it even really starts."

"Promise me you'll be careful?" She swallowed hard and smiled weakly when he lifted her legs by cupping the back of her ankles, stretching them over his lap and beginning to massage her calves, "I don't know what I'd do..."

"You would be okay," He gazed back at her seriously, "If something like that ever should happen, you'd be ruler, Regina. You're strong and capable. Just have a little faith in yourself and your mind. I'll be back before you even have a chance to miss me, though, so you needn't worry."

"Hm," She nodded once, biting down on her bottom lip as she gazed out the window.

"Don't let anyone walk all over you while I'm gone, do you understand?" He massaged her legs, causing her to lean against the window sill in a more relaxed fashion as she actively avoided his gaze, "You're Queen. You're in charge here. Okay?"

"Mhm..."

"Regina," His tone was almost pleading then, causing her to look at him reluctantly. Her emotions bubbled in her chest, causing her to want to throw her arms around him and beg him not to leave. "I need to know you'll be okay while I'm gone."

"I will be," She replied, looking at him seriously, "Don't worry about me, just get back safe," She smiled weakly and gave a small shrug as she watched him stand. He reached down, scooping her up into his arms and she knew she could not tell him about the baby. He was already torn about leaving her. She had to prove to him and everyone here that she was the Queen and she was not as weak as she seemed. She needed to prove it to herself that she could be strong.

"We leave at sunrise," He whispered, laying her down on the bed in front of him as he stood, running hands down her torso and legs. He gazed down at her as if he were taking her in, imprinting her into memory. It made her nervous, for she realized he himself had some doubts about what battles lie ahead. She pushed it to the back of her mind, reaching up and grabbing him by the shirt to pull him down ontop of her.

He came willingly, crawling over her smaller frame as her thighs locked around his torso and her legs folded around his waist. She didn't want to think anymore, she just wanted to feel. To be with her husband in the time that they had and not worry about what was to come. He seemed to need the same, for their lips met in a hungry kiss and they quickly started to roam each other's bodies with anxious hands.

Regina nudged him with her knee to roll them over, coming ontop of him and looking down at him from her seat on his crotch, "You better come back to me in once piece," She warned before pulling her nightgown over her head, baring herself for him fully. He groaned as he looked at her and she felt empowered by it, "Do you understand, David?" She mocked his tone from earlier.

"I do," He whispered, running his hands up her thighs and over her hips, fingertips gripping the flesh of her ass, "I'll be counting down the hours until I'm back in this bed with you," He groaned, his tone gruffer as she started to grind on his crotch, pressing her hands into his chest after she'd pushed his linen undershirt up to expose the muscles.

She reached down between her legs and tugged the string of his breeches loose, quickly working them open and pushing them down enough to let him free. David hummed when she took him in her hand, pumping him a couple of times as he kneaded her ass, his hands spreading her apart and making her moan.

"Already?" He groaned at how slick she was when she started to rub his tip against her slit, impaling herself on him in one determined shift of her hips, "Fuck, Regina," His fingertips dug into the flesh of her bottom as she started to grind herself on him again, not lifting herself up his shaft, instead keeping him fully sheathed as she rocked.

She tilted her head to the side, allowing her loose hair to fall over one shoulder and brush over his chest, pressing her hands into the mattress beside his head. They locked gazes, so many unspoken words and promises communicated through their stare as she rolled her hips on him. Her lips parted as her breathing increased, letting out a soft moan at how aroused she was already. Her sexual appetite had increased lately due to the pregnancy, making her nipples harden and her clit start to throb before he was even inside of her.

"I love you," He groaned, rolling them onto their sides as he pulled the thigh that draped over his thigh higher, "You feel so good," He moved his lips to her neck, sucking down on the skin as he pulled her hips tightly to his, moving inside of her now.

"I love...you," She moaned, wrapping an arm around his side to grasp at his back, pushing herself up against him to meet his thrusts, "I need..more..." She felt her stomach tightening but she wanted him deeper, wanted him as close to her as he could possibly be.

He groaned and with one movement had her pinned to the bed, buried deeply inside of her, "I don't want to leave you," He murmured as he pressed his forehead to hers, hiking her thighs up against his rib-cage, spreading her wider. "Ruby and Granny, they will look after you."

"I'm a big girl, David," She moaned and pressed her chest up against his, feeling her nipples graze his skin. It was a wonderful sensation with how sensitive they were and he seemed to appreciate the friction, too, "I can take care of myself, I promise."

She leaned up to bite down on his bottom lip and he rutted in her deeply, making her gasp and tug his lip to her. He groaned in response, gripping the headboard with one hand as the other pressed to the mattress to keep him hovering over her. He pulled out slowly and thrust back in to the hilt, repeating it a _gain_ and _again_ and _again_ until she was whimpering and squirming underneath him.

Her head fell back flush with the bed as she started to tense around him, feeling the full benefits of him being so hard and thick inside of her as her walls clenched. He hummed into her neck when she cried out and clamped, orgasm flooding her with intensity, causing her to grasp at his hair and her hips to spasm underneath his.

"David!" She gasped before the pleasure stole her ability to make noise, body rolling underneath him and lips parting in a silent scream.

He groaned loudly at how hard she came, letting himself reach his own peak. He filled her with his hot seed without thinking before mumbling into her neck, "I'm sorry...I should be more careful."

"It's okay," She whispered, recalling what he'd said earlier about being thankful Emma was an only child. The humility echoed in her mind at the fact that Granny and Ruby had witnessed him say it while they knew she was with child, not to mention her breakdown once he left the room. It was a sting to her pride that would take a few days to recover from.

She felt her husband pull her body up against his when he rolled off of her and she took full advantage of having him there, cuddling into his side. He would only be gone for a few days, but she knew the worry gnawing away at her for him would make it feel like an eternity. It was part of their duties as King and Queen; he led the men in battle and she would protect the home-front. Consequently, she would support him in his endeavor and keep the blessing growing inside of her to herself to ensure it's father's return.

* * *

 _Two months later..._

"Regina," A quiet voice whispered from her bedside, stirring her awake. She opened her eyes to find Emma hovering nearby, face lit up by the candle she carried.

"Em'mah, m-what is it?" She stretched a little, scrunching her eyes to get them into focus, "Are you okay?"

"I just...can't sleep...I'm worried about father," Her step daughter replied as she bit her lip and looked away from her.

"Come here," She whispered, pulling the blankets up for the blonde to get into the bed with her. The girl set the candle down on the nightstand before crawling into the warmth, laying her head on Regina's pillow since she'd taken to sleeping on David's side in his absence. "I got word from a messenger today. Your father sent him to let us know he's all right, they're camping in the Sherwood Forest and preparing for the next battle. He says they are doing well. King George has been planning this for a while and has quite an army, more than they anticipated. But your father feels good about the progress they've made so far."

"I miss him," She smiled weakly, "And I know it is hard on you running this place and dealing with the citizens of the kingdom who do not give you the respect you deserve."

"I miss him, too. It will all work out, though. Your father is much too stubborn to let somebody keep him from coming back to us," She smiled warmly at the teenager, reaching out between them, "Come here, cuddle with me. I'm cold," She said playfully without thinking, motioning for Emma to scoot over.

Emma laughed a little as she scooted across the bed, rolling with her back to her so Regina could spoon her, "I wish things were back to normal," She sighed as she cuddled her back against Regina's front.

"Me too, sweetheart," She let out a breath, wrapping an arm around Emma's waist in a comforting manner.

"Uh, Regina," Emma's eyes widened, rolling over under the covers and reaching out to place her hand on the bump she felt pressing against her back, "Oh my god...are you..."

"Oh, uh..." Regina's own eyes widened, feeling the baby move under Emma's prodding fingertips.

"Oh my god there's definitely something in there!" She squealed and jerked her hand back quickly, "You're with child?!"

"I..." Regina hesitated, searching Emma's expression for a glimpse of how she felt. She hadn't even considered telling her yet, still too concerned with how David would react. So far she'd been able to conceal it with dresses that flared over her torso, but in the thin nightgown she wore now there was no hiding her considerable five month bump. "...Yes..."

"Does father know?" Emma smiled inquisitively at her step-mother, reaching out to press her hand against Regina's stomach again.

"No I...only found out a day or so before he left and I didn't want to add anymore stress on him," She smiled weakly, reaching down to place her hand over Emma's. She was the first person she'd been able to share her baby with so intimately. Granny and Ruby knew, but they didn't dote on it like this, they weren't touchy people. But she considered Emma like her own daughter and it felt right to share this with her, "The baby is down here right now," She guided Emma's hand to the other side of her belly to feel the child pressing against her side.

"That's amazing," Her step-daughter's eyes lit up, "It must be an incredible feeling to have a life growing inside of you."

"It is. I haven't even met him or her but I love them so much already," She smiled warmly, relief blooming inside of her that at least Emma seemed to be accepting of it, "You're...okay with this?"

"Of course I am, I always wanted siblings," Emma nodded, removing her hand and tucking it under her head on the pillow, staying facing Regina, "I hope father is back soon, he'll be so happy."

"Me too, but he can't come home until King George is defeated," She let out a breath, "Until then it's just me and you," She smiled weakly.

"Don't forget Granny and Ruby," The blonde girl grinned, "We love you, Regina. We'll help you get through this."

* * *

"There you are, friend," Thomas came up, ale tingeing his cheeks as he approached David's tent, seeing him sitting outside of it on a tree stump by the small fire, "You coming to join the rest of us or you too busy missing that pretty Queen of yours?"

David chuckled, biting his lip, "You all have a good time, I think I'm going to call it an early night."

"You all right?" True to his nature, Tom did not relent and ended up sitting down near David, plopping his ale mug on the ground beside him, "We won the battle today. You should be celebrating. You'll get home to her soon enough."

"I know I just, can't help but wonder how she's doing. How my daughter is doing," He let out a breath worriedly, frowning as he dazed off into the fire, "The messenger brought me a letter back from her and it says they are all doing fine, but I also know she's not a complainer and she wouldn't want to worry me if anything were awry."

"I'm sure it's fine. Ella is there to keep her company, plus Ruby and Granny and Emma," Tom shrugged, "Anybody who would try to mess with the lot of them has to be out of their mind!"

He smiled briefly, "The castle is fully protected...Logically I know they'll be all right I just..something wasn't right with Regina when I left. I know she didn't want me to leave but I feel like there was something bothering her. And it's driving me crazy...the not knowing."

"Man, you really do love her," His friend murmured and he realized how he was rambling.

"I'm sorry, you don't need to hear this," David shook his head, leaning forward to slap Tom on the shoulder as he stood, "Go celebrate, I'm just being an old sap. I'll see you tomorrow."

"G'night, David."

He sighed as he stepped inside of his tent, sitting down on the edge of his cot to pull his boots off. The letter from his wife lay on the rickety table beside the cot, keeping it nearby his bed as a way to feel close to her. Although fading, the letter smelled like her when he first opened it and it made him heartsick to be near her again.

King George had surprised them all by having more forces at his disposal than what they initially considered, making this mission longer than they anticipated. David knew it was him that George wanted. It was a simple act of vengeance for refusing to play his son. He wouldn't stop until one of them was dead and David did not plan on being that one.

He fell back on his cot after removing his boots, body tired and sore in places that had not been worked out so vigorously in months. Suddenly he felt too old to be fighting in wars and living like a solider again, despite the experience he had at it. It wasn't really the physicality though, he was in pretty good shape. His heart was what was hurting him the most, feeling hopeless being apart from his wife with something like this happening.

She had to be furious with him after he had promised he would only be gone a few days. A few days had turned into a few months and they'd only communicated through brief letters. Even in the letters they could not be detailed in whereabouts or their daily life, for chance of the messenger being caught by the enemy.

He reached for the letter on the nightstand, bringing it up to his face and inhaling the scent of her perfume on it. It was pathetic, but it made him feel like she was near and that he hadn't been away from her for so long. Images of her sprawled out in the bed underneath him as he pumped into her came to mind, causing him to stir in his briefs. A lot of the men cured the loneliness with the gypsy women that passed through the trail near their camp, but he had no desire. All he wanted was Regina. _To hold her. To kiss her. To undress her. To hear her moan when he licked her. To feel her come around him while she cried out sweetly._

Letting out a groan of frustration, he set the letter back on the nightstand and rolled onto his side, forcing his eyes closed. He needed to get to sleep before he got entirely too worked up. Thinking of Regina was a physically and mentally dangerous topic for him right now. He had to stay focused on ending this war and getting home to her as fast as he could.

* * *

"Your Majesty, we can't let you do that!" Grumpy squawked from his chair at the round table, "Not that we dwarves care or nothin', but the King would have our heads if we let you go to the village and get ripped apart by angry citizens."

Regina rolled her eyes, sitting in David's chair and addressing them. It had felt odd at first, being in charge, but Granny and Ruby always gave her looks of encouragement whenever her confidence would falter. She pressed on, imagining what David would do if he were here. She'd learned a lot from observing him on how to run a kingdom, even had ideas on how to improve some things, but she'd get to that another time. When there wasn't a war happening.

"That's the problem, Grumpy," Regina grit out at the ungrateful dwarf. He was the leader of the pack, the voice of them, and someone who did not accept her replacing Snow White as Queen. They were fiercely loyal to the departed woman, even all of these years later, "The people are angry because they haven't heard from their leaders. David cannot address them, therefore it is my job."

"Regina, I don't know if David would-" Ruby began with a reluctant expression.

She mustered all of the bravado she could manage, trying to remember everything her mother had told her about demanding respect and holding power. For years Regina had scoffed at any advice Cora had ever given her, but now was the time she had to lead. She had to be in power. She could no longer be the meek Queen who lived comfortably in her King's shadow. This was her kingdom, too.

"Have you all forgotten who you're speaking to?" Regina frowned, squaring her shoulders, "I am the Queen. No one will not allow me to do anything. As for the King, he is not here right now, so I make these decisions without consult from him. Is that understood?" She scanned the room for agreement, seeing the shocked looks on everyone's face at her actually finding her backbone.

"Well I'll be damned," Granny smirked, "It's about time, Your Majesty."

"Grumpy, you and the dwarves get my carriage ready. We'll go down to the village and address the concerns of the people. I'm not daft, so I will need to take a small group of knights with me for protection, should anything happen," Regina huffed. She would swallow her pride for her child's sake and admit that she would at least take security.

"I'm coming with you," Ruby said instantly and Granny nodded in agreement.

"You should, you could protect her better than anyone," The older wolf looked at the Queen over her glasses, "Don't worry, I'll look after Emma and keep this place going. You all be careful out there. You hear me?"

Regina nodded, suppressing a smile at how they all seemed to jump to action and actually take instruction from her. She'd never felt adept at taking charge, had never considered herself a leader or someone to be taken seriously. But these people respected her and her authority. Some of them may not like her, but they saw her as their Queen, nonetheless.

Proving to herself that she could do this was keeping her occupied and took the sting of missing David away during the day. She'd still miss him at night; still wish he was there to feel their child kick and talk through the night and do things to her body that she sorely missed. But during the days, _she would run a kingdom._


	25. Chapter 25

_sorry it's been forever since i updated :) trying to get some other stories wrapped up so i can work on some new ideas. this one will be around for a while, though. don't worry. please review!_

* * *

"I know you're all worried-" Regina stood upon her carriage steps to be tall enough to address the villagers that crowded around. Some looked curious and others jeered, all of them being abuzz with the presence of royalty. The village was a couple hours travel for her from the castle and she'd used the time to mentally prepare what she wanted to say.

"Where's the king?!" An angry villager called out, prompting some of them to second his question and the rest to watch for her reaction. She'd never addressed the people before, she'd barely been seen in public with everything that had went on in her short time as Queen. They loved her husband's first wife and she knew this would not be easy to begin with, but her nerves were on edge nonetheless.

"The King is out leading the men who are fighting to keep you safe," She raised her voice, stifling her fear and mentally stiffening her backbone, "I know times are hard, but I am working to provide you all with rations to hold you until the soldiers come home and we can resume business as usual in the kingdom."

"You think you know what we're going through?" A pale, red-haired woman spoke up from the front of the crowd with a sneer, "Sitting in your castle, in your fine linens, eating grand meals while we all suffer?" The woman smiled sadistically up at her and for a moment Regina was caught off-guard at the look in the woman's eyes.

"It's fine," Regina whispered with a glance at Ruby when she stiffened in anger where she stood at the bottom of the carriage steps, guarding the entrance. There were other knights on horses around the parameter of the carriage to ensure the crowd did not get out of hand, but Ruby insisted she be a personal barrier between the crowd and Regina.

"I'll be honest, I don't know what it is like for you," Regina answered truthfully, looking back to the crowd, "You all work very hard for what you have and I simply married into it. I may not know what it feels like to lack for food or clothing or shelter, but that does not mean I don't understand some things...I too have not seen my husband for months because of this war, I live in constant fear that something may happen," She swallowed hard, seeing the women of the crowd look back at her with softening expressions, "But I must carry on because like all of you, I have responsibilities. My job is to protect this kingdom and all of you, and I intend to do so."

"How is that?" The redhead sneered again, crossing her arms and looking up at her in a taunting manner, "You have very little army left here to guard. What can you possibly do yourself?" She shrugged and Regina could tell she was being taunted.

"I made a trade with our allied kingdoms to obtain rations for you all that should last you through the end of this war. When it is over our trade routes should open again and we will be able to repair our economy, but until then I can at least keep you all fed," She nodded once and heard the people murmur in a tone that sounded slightly more approving.

"But can you protect them from harm?" The incessant heckler smiled wickedly now, bringing her hand up in one swoop of magic, sending the knight's beside Regina's carriage off of their horses and through the air. Villagers gasped and dispersed into a circle around the red-headed sorceress, a path cleared from where she stood that led directly towards Regina. "Doesn't look like it."

"Can I have her now?" Ruby snarled, her incisors instantly growing in length in preparation to turn.

"No, I can handle this," Regina nodded firmly, knowing that Ruby's magic would not hold up against the woman in front of her. She'd done enough studying to know that whoever this was wielded dark magic and the only thing that could combat it would be light magic. Ruby saw the look in her eye, obediently stepping beside of Regina before glaring back at the threat they faced.

"I may be more well equipped to protect my kingdom than you know," Regina replied with a confident smile of her own, raising her hand and procuring a white fireball in her palm. Another collective gasp could be heard from bystanders as her opponent's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You have light magic?" She growled with a wild look in her eyes, a faint green hue crawling up her chest and neck. "Rumple neglected to mention that."

"How do you know Rumple?" Regina demanded, keeping her palm glowing with the white hot fire, "Who are you?!"

The woman seemed to be lost in her own thoughts before she made eye contact with Regina again, chest heaving and now fully green, "You'll find out soon enough," She cackled bitterly as she pulled a wand from her dress sleeve, throwing a bolt of magic towards Regina.

She managed to block the green bolt of dark magic with her own, deflecting the energy back towards the witch. The crowd scattered in shouts and shrieks as the remnants of magic shot through the air, catching fire to everything it touched. The woman barely dodged the bolt before Regina hurled a white fireball in her direction, catching her in the arm and making her yelp unexpectedly.

"Leave my kingdom!" Regina barked angrily, adrenaline coursing through her. She didn't notice the way the citizens started to shift more towards her, facing off with the wicked woman in solidarity.

"You'll regret this," The witch's eyes glittered angrily as she held her injured arm before vanishing in a puff of green smoke.

The village around them flamed and Regina was finally able to focus on her surroundings once the sorceress was gone. Women cried, children clinging to their legs, and the older men who did not go to war ran to try to put out the fires. Her heart pounded in her ears as she gathered her skirts and stepped from the carriage, making her way through the crowd towards the burning structures.

Without hesitation she brought her hands up, wielding her magic towards the flames and with one swoop put out the fires until there was nothing left but cold smoke billowing up from the burnt homes and taverns. It would tire her but she knew she could repair the damage done. The people depended on her and this was not something she could walk away from. She turned to see eyes watching her with a mixture of awe and respect, the villagers collectively looking to her for answers.

"Gather the injured over their near the fresh hay, the rest of you who are able tend to the buildings to ensure the fires don't start again and see what needs repaired," She instructed, seeing them all nod in solidarity before scattering to follow her instructions. Her heart still pounded and she didn't know what her encounter with the angry sorceress meant, but at least she'd proven herself to her people.

* * *

"There's a village not far from here, the men will want to celebrate," David nodded, glancing at Thomas from his horse as they trotted at the head of the path with the knights following them. The evening was evolving into night, fireflies and crickets glowing and chirping in the cool forest air. Not to mention it was the first night in months David felt he could actually enjoy it.

"Let me guess, you're going straight home to your Queen?" Thomas grinned, causing him to chuckle and nod.

He was dog tired. He was sore. He was bruised and beaten. He was ready to celebrate winning their battle and making George surrender. Except his idea of celebration was not the same as the men who already sang and drank from flasks atop their horses behind him. He did not want to spend another breathing second with these crude, smelly men. He wanted to celebrate with his wife.

"You're not coming to Ella and your child?" He perked an eyebrow at his friend. Ella and the baby being with Regina was something that comforted him a great deal and he knew his friend was just as anxious to see his own wife as David was to see the Queen.

"Course I am," Thomas chuckled and gave a tap of his reins for his horse to pick up the pace. "Let's get these men somewhere they can blow off some steam and get home."

"It's just a up ahead," David smiled and nodded, seeing the glowing lanterns and campfires of the small town as their horses trodded the narrow dirt road. He had to hold himself back from nudging his horse into a full sprint to get home to his wife faster, knowing their animals were just as exhausted as they were.

"What the hell?" He frowned quickly as they approached the parameter of the village, squinting as he slapped the reins to pick up the pace.

"Is that one of your carriages?" Thomas questioned and David's heart began to pound and a rush of anxiety shot through him.

"Yes," David swallowed hard, " _Hah!_ " He yelled and kicked his horse into a gallop, taking off ahead of the group to reach the village faster. _Had the castle been destroyed in his absence? Did looters or renegades invaded and taken over? What had happened to his family?_

The worst possible scenarios played in his mind like a horror story as he approached the village, hearing Tom's horse galloping not far behind his. He pulled the reins hard and his stallion skidded to a stop as his stomach churned with worry. He practically jumped from his horse when he dismounted, unsheathing his sword as he stormed into the village, ignoring the way Tom tried to catch him in protest.

He jerked open the carriage door to check inside, seeing it empty and the horses unbridled from it. Whoever had brought it here had been here for a while, at least long enough to settle in. A fiercely protective rage bubbled within him at the thought of whoever it was harming his wife or daughter, causing him to storm through the village, pushing past citizens who gasped and stared at the sight of the king stomping towards where the bonfire roared.

"I demand to know who took the Queen's carriage!" He bellowed as he approached the circle where the fire was, seeing citizens gathered around socializing and relaxing. The people looked up in surprise from their food and drinks, causing him to glance around for a moment with a frown. There was a grand table set up with a feast similar to those he'd seen in castle parties and barrels of wine and ale beside of it. It seemed to be a celebration of sorts, nothing like what he'd imagined he'd walk into.

"It's the king!" He heard one of the young children squeal as they ran around playing and he began to feel foolish for stomping in with his sword drawn.

"I want an explanation. Why is the Queen's carriage here?!" He scanned the eyes that looked back at him before seeing one of the more fearful looking lads step to the side, bringing into view the fire and who was on the other side of it.

There Regina sat on one of the log benches near a couple of village women, her eyes as wide as saucers when they met his. She didn't appear to be harmed in anyway, in fact she held a goblet of wine and had seemed to be in conversation with the peasant women she sat with. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest when he saw the cup fall from her hands as she shot up off of her seat, prompting him to drop his own sword as he practically ran to her.

"Regina!" He scooped her up, lifting her off of the ground in a tight hug as he buried his face in her neck and inhaled her sent, "Thank god, are you okay? I saw the carriage and I thought-"

"I'm fine, I'm okay," Her hands carded through the back of his hair and she pressed her lips to the side of his head before tilting her own back and capturing his mouth in a deep kiss. He moaned into it, momentarily forgetting they had an audience of villagers as he held her in his arms. He stirred when she sighed into his mouth, causing him to slowly put her feet back on the ground and reluctantly break the kiss.

"The war is over, we won the last battle and George surrendered," He smiled at her as he set her down, bringing his hands around from her back to her waist. He bit his lip as he took her in, still in awe that she was finally in front of him. His gaze traveled down her frame to see her riding jacket rounded out near her midsection in the same moment his hands felt the tight swell of her abdomen, "Regina...are you?"

When his gaze lifted again he found worried whiskey eyes looking up at him and his heart constricted as she gave a timid nod. _A baby._ He was going to get to experience raising a child with this woman. He let out a laugh as his eyes welled with tears, falling onto one knee as he ran his hands over her bump, "When do I get to meet them?" David asked and smiled through watery eyes, seeing the relief that flooded her own.

"About three months," She replied softly before biting down on her bottom lip with a warm smile. He straitened to stand again, still so overcome with emotion that all he could do was cup her face and kiss her gently. _He'd missed her so much it hurt._

"I am so happy," He whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers before remembering where they were, tilting his head up, "The kingdom is going to have a new prince or princess!" He announced as he gave a quick glance around, looking back at her with a grin at the way the villagers cheered.

He noticed she looked tired around the eyes despite her honest smile and he decided to save the specifics on why she was here for later. She leaned into him and he hugged her tightly, glancing over her shoulder to see Ruby and Thomas standing back with proud grins and a mug of ale, "Let's go home, My Queen."

* * *

Ruby's eyes shot open and she sat up in bed when she heard the scream echo down the hall of the castle. She nearly knocked over the potion Regina had perfected to prevent her from transforming into wolf form at night as she scrambled to get out of her bed, bumping into the nightstand in the process. Something was definitely wrong and she feared for the safety of everyone in the castle. It was likely they would have renegades and enemy stragglers making last effort revenge attempts for a couple of months still yet even though the war had ended.

It was late when they got back from the village after David had arrived, but she wiped her eyes and shook her head in an attempt to rid the sleepiness. The trip to the village had resulted in her assisting Regina all day while she healed at least a dozen people and repaired homes with her magic. It was exhausting to say the least, but she couldn't afford to be tired now. Stifling a yawn, she grabbed a sword from the corner where it was propped and took off down the corridor tracking the source of the noise. She heard cries and a slamming noise coming from one of the wings, prompting her to practically run towards it.

The candle's were low and the corridor dim when she reached Regina's wing, her heart pounding with fear at what she may find. She raised her sword, quickly pushing on one of the doors that the noise was behind, unable to tell which one was her bed chamber with how dark it was. Her heart stopped when the door cracked and the dim light from inside of the room allowed her to see.

 _Well, she'd certainly misinterpreted what was happening._ Regina's hand was stretched above her head, pressed against the wood of the headboard and causing it to bang against the wall as she threw her head back and let out a loud moan. David was on-top of her with her legs hiked up by his rib cage, tucked under his arms as he pressed his hands into the mattress beside her. Her free hand scratched down his back as she moved her body under his, curling her hips up to meet his as he rutted inside of her.

Ruby's mouth nearly hit the floor and she froze in fear of being noticed, eyes close to popping out of her head. Luckily Regina's own eyes were closed and she was babbling incessantly, making her stomach stir when she heard a few of the words the Queen said. David's mouth devoured his wife's neck as he began to pound into her, causing Regina to press her hand harder against the headboard, breasts pressed up against his chest when her back arched.

For a moment she almost lost herself while she witnessed the passion between the couple. She'd never had that for herself and it made her yearn to have that connection with someone. They'd been home for many hours now and it was clear what the King and Queen had been up to despite the fact that they were both exhausted.

" _I'm-bout-come-ah-gin_ ," Regina moaned syllables and clamped her legs higher up David's ribcage, snapping Ruby out of her trance. She heard the way Regina's voice lilted and she had to get out of there. Careful not to clang her sword off of the stone wall, she reached forward and slowly pulled the door shut just as the couple began to really talk dirty to each other. She nearly jumped when right as the door latched the Queen screamed out again in climax, making her think she'd been caught.

She groaned quietly in aggravation at how stupid she'd been as she padded back down the hall to her own room. Not only did she witness her best friend having sex with his wife, she was reminded of how sexually frustrated she was in her own life. _Regina was going to have to concoct a potion to help her sleep if they were going to be that loud._

* * *

"Morning," David grinned when his eyes opened and he saw Regina already awake, sitting up beside him in bed inspecting his bruises and cuts from battle. She was still naked from the night before and he was sure she'd never looked so beautiful. Her hair was halfway down her back, breasts slightly larger and small rounded tummy. She was still just as thin as she normally was, but softer and rounder, glowing from carrying his child.

"Some of these should've had stitches, you know," She raised a scolding eyebrow at him when she glanced up from looking at one of his cuts, "Sit up against the headboard a little and I'll heal them."

"They'll be fine," He smirked as he snaked an arm around her waist in an attempt to pull her on-top of him. They'd depleted each other the night before but he still couldn't get enough of her. "Come here."

She gave him a testy look and he sighed with a chuckle, letting go of her and pressing his hands into the bed to scoot himself into a reclined sitting position against the pillows and headboard. His heart constricted with love for her when she smiled at his obedience, turning it into a compromise as she slipped a leg over his and straddled his lap, "No funny business until I'm done, you got it?"

"I will be an absolute gentleman," David grinned boyishly up at her as he held up his hands in mock innocence before settling them on her thighs. Regina only smirked and shook her head as she lifted her hand to heal a cut that had scarred his chest, making it appear more faint. His muscles were more defined since coming home from battle, his arms bigger and his abs sculpted deliciously. He'd always been in shape before but the war had given his body a rougher appearance that appeased her pregnancy hormones in the best way.

"Why didn't you tell me about the baby before I left?" He asked her as he tilted his head to the side curiously, seeing her glance up from what she was doing rather quickly, "I just mean...you would've been about three months along, right? Did you know?"

She bit her lip hesitantly, not wanting to ruin what had been a perfect morning, "I did.."

"Were you not happy?" His heart sank slightly, the inkling that she may feel too young for all of this lingering in the back of his mind.

"I was happy and terrified," Her lips parted in a smile that did not reach her eyes, "..and then you said you were happy Emma was an only child," She admitted softer than she'd wanted to say it, her vulnerability showing in the slight cracking of her voice. Her pride prevented her from looking him in the eye and she tried to shift from where she sat on him back to her side of the bed.

"Hey," He gripped her arms gently, keeping her where she was until she looked back at him, "I was under a lot of pressure and being horrible. I told you before that I would love to have a family with you and I still mean that. I'm sorry I let you think differently."

"Are you sure? I mean you even said you wanted to wait for children," Regina swallowed at the lump in her throat.

"You have no idea how much you mean to me, do you?" David shook his head in awe, running his hand up to cup the side of her face, "You make me happier than I've ever been. You changed my life for the better and made me believe I could start again. Without you I'd still be miserable...my daughter would still be miserable...I cannot wait for this child with you."

Regina blinked back tears and nodded once, biting down on her lip to reign in her emotions as she glanced back to his chest and ran a glowing purple hand over it, "I think you're just trying to distract me from healing you," She joked to lighten the mood, making them both chuckle.

"How am I supposed to make all those knights that stare at you fear me if you heal all of my battle scars?" He grinned playfully, running his hands up her thighs to her bottom, pushing it down on his lap more firmly. There was nothing but her naked form and his separated by a thin sheet that was draped over his lap and he was getting impatient.

"Jealous?" She grinned, healing one of the bruises on his stomach and noticing the way his groin tensed under her touch.

"Don't get me wrong, I trust you," David sighed, massaging his hands over her bottom as he watched her, seeing the way her nipples hardened from his ministrations. _She wasn't as unaffected as she pretended to be._ "And I respect that you are your own person and I cannot claim you..but...you also bring out a possessiveness inside of me that I didn't know I was capable of."

"You hide it well," She smirked at him, her stomach coiling at the look in his eyes. His hand slipped from her bottom down to between her legs, his finger swiping through her folds, "I thought we agreed, not until I'm finished."

"Why can't I work on you while you work on me?" David grinned and brushed his fingers through her slit again, fingertips pressing against her clit that was still a little swollen from their late night.

"B-because," She half moaned, half groaned in frustration as she tried to narrow her eyes at him, "I need to concentrate when I do magic, _uhhhn_ -" Her head fell forward when he began massaging quick circles on her clit.

"Well I can't concentrate on anything but the thought of being inside of you," He groaned as he played with her, watching her head roll to the side and lips part, "Do you know how many nights I went to sleep hard with the thought of you? Just wishing I could taste you and take you and hear you do that little whimper you do right before you come..."

"Mmm," She moaned when she opened her eyes, running her hands up over his shoulders, "I might have an idea," She almost panted now with arousal, rolling her hips with his hand as his fingers penetrated her. His words made her stomach swirl and she practically dripped on his hand already.

"Did you pleasure yourself at the thought of me, Regina?" David questioned her as he pulled his fingers from her, lifting them up to run his tongue over the tips of them to taste her.

Regina throbbed desperately as she watched him, reaching down with her hand to pull the sheet from between them and let him spring to life. She watched him smirk as she held him by the base and lifted her hips, taking him before he even had time to respond. A whimper escaped her when she sat on him fully, feeling him stretch her again as she let her head fall back, lifting slightly and sinking back down a few times to get used to him.

"You never answered me," He bit his lip as he ran his hands up her sides to cup her breasts, massaging his thumbs over the nipples and making her moan, "Did you pleasure yourself like I taught you to when I'm not here?"

"Yes," She whispered breathlessly, pressing her forehead to his and smirking at the noise he made, "I woke up from a dream about you and I was so wet," She explained, starting to roll her hips forward on his cock. He was deliciously hard and thick, making just the slightest movement provide enough friction to satisfy her.

"Fucking hell," He murmured as his eyes locked with hers, gripping her ass fiercely to help her grind on him harder and deeper, "I will never tire of this. I only want you," He groaned and leaned in to kiss over her neck, feeling her begin to roll her hips harder.

"Me too," She gasped and wrapped an arm around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair as the other hand gripped his left bicep for leverage, "David!" She cried out when he sat up straight from the pillows, wrapping his own arm around her hips and taking her deeper with the angle. Her pregnancy had intensified every sensation for her during sex and she had turned into a babbling fool, " _I-oh-mmm_!"

"That's it baby," David groaned when he felt her find the rhythm that worked from her, feeling her hips working greedily for friction, "Chase it," He groaned lifting his head to see her own tilted back, watching her face as she started to unravel. He kept his arm locked around her hips helping her move in hard, quick humps that had their arousal soaked skin slapping.

He groaned loudly when her mouth opened in a silent scream and her body contracted on him, clenching his cock so hard that he let himself go deeply inside of her. She shuddered for a few moments as she came down from the high, letting her forehead fall against his own as they both tried to catch their breath. There was a boldness in her that had blossomed during his time away and it excited him to hear about how she'd reigned and the confidence it had brought her. _If they worked this well together in the bedroom, imagine what they could do with this kingdom._


	26. Chapter 26

sorry this took so long. I've been struggling for inspiration and time to write lately. It's not the best chapter but I wanted to try to get the wheels turning again. Let me know what you think xxx

* * *

David suppressed a grin as he stopped at the top of the tower steps to watch Regina without her knowing. She bit down on her bottom lip, brows drawn down in frustration as she stretched on her tip toes to reach a book on one of the shelves. Normally she'd have been able to get it, but her protruding baby bump put her just a few inches shy of being able to grasp it. He swallowed a chuckle when she huffed and stomped her foot once before grabbing a book from a lower shelf and flinging it across the room in the beginnings of a temper tantrum.

The book hit the floor and slid a few feet in front of where David was standing, prompting her vision to follow it before her eyes flickered up to him. "Need some help, sweetheart?" He gave her a cautious smile as he bent down to pick it up.

"How long were you there?" She frowned and crossed her arms, cheeks tingeing pink with embarrassment that made her turn back to her work table and pretend to be busy.

"Long enough," He chuckled, putting the book she'd thrown back on the shelf before grabbing the one she was trying to reach, bringing it over to her to place it on the table when he came up behind her, "How are you feeling?"

David had been home for a couple of days now, long enough to be aware that the pregnancy was taking it's toll on her emotionally, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. Just the other morning he'd left their bed to get a bath before she'd waken and upon his return found her crying, simply because she'd missed him. The changes her body was going through coupled with how stressful it had been for her without him here was finally catching up with her and he wished he could fix it for her.

"I'm fine," She replied quietly, opening the book and keeping her back to him as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind before muttering a soft, "Thank you."

"Regina," He prodded gently, running his hands over her bump through her dress as he pressed his head to the side of hers, "Talk to me..."

"I don't want-" Regina began, but paused to swallow thickly at the knot forming in her throat, "-don't want to come off as ungrateful..."

"Ungrateful?" David asked curiously, gently turning her around between he and the table so she was facing him. Tears welled in her eyes and her lips trembled, making his heart threaten to burst at how vulnerable she was.

"I l-love you so much and our child...and everyone here, I love our life I-" Her voice wavered, "It's just I never know what emotion will hit me next, one minute I'm crying and the next I'm throwing a temper tantrum," She glanced down sheepishly, "I'm always tired or hungry or..."

"Horny?" He smirked slightly, pressing his forehead to hers and chuckling when she let out an exhaled laugh through the tears.

"I know it's a silly reason to complain or be upset but how can I do my job as Queen when I can't even keep myself together?" She smiled weakly, motioning towards the table where her work was.

"Nothing is silly about the way you feel," David pressed his finger under her chin gently tilting it back up so she'd look at him, "You're creating another human being, Regina. Your body is going through so much right now and this is completely normal."

"Are you sure?" She gave a timid nod and swallowed again, regaining control of her emotions.

"I am," He smiled and gently ran a hand through her hair, rubbing his thumb over her cheek, "And don't try and hide it from me, okay? You didn't make this child yourself and I don't expect you to go through this alone."

Her bottom lip quivered at his words, "Okay."

"Okay," David smiled in relief when it seemed to soothe her, glancing over her shoulder, "What are you working on now?" He asked as she turned in his arms to show him.

"As you're well aware the villages of the realm have been somewhat devastated by the war. The crops they rely on were neglected while half of the population were away fighting and people are struggling to provide for their families. Without the crops we lack trade with other kingdoms," She flipped through a book absentmindedly as she explained it to him and he stepped up beside of her, listening intently. "I'm working on somewhat of a potion...well...I don't know what you would call it, but I've been reading about healing magic..."

"You think it will work on the crops?" He raised an eyebrow at the idea, glancing over all of the herbs and trinkets she had on the table. The practice was lost on him but he found his wife's abilities truly fascinating.

"Maybe...maybe more so on the land," She let out a deep breath as she marked her place in the book before looking up at him, "I just have to make some changes and figure out a few ingredients to perfect it for our realm."

"You're amazing," He replied, watching her smile and give a shake of her head as she turned her attention to her books, "I mean it," He smiled, kissing her shoulder before leaning down to rest his chin on it, "Red told me everything you did for the kingdom in my absence."

"It's not a big deal it's what anyone would do-"

"No, it isn't. Most noble women wouldn't dare set foot outside the castle during a war," He said seriously, watching her as she flipped through spell books, "Let alone get their hands dirty helping villagers. You won them over with your leadership during a tough time."

"Not all of them," Regina sighed, thinking of the witch who'd heckled her and set fire to the village.

"That will come with time, I promise," He smiled, kissing her cheek before straightening up, "I should go, I promised Emma I'd come watch her practice. Red said she's a good fighter...must take after me."

His heart skipped a beat at the playful grin she threw his way, "Mhm and she's just as messy, too. Make sure you two wash up before dinner."

* * *

"Dad, hey," Emma dropped her sword, a radiant smile plastering onto her face when her spar with Red ended and she spotted her father making his way across the courtyard. David smiled himself, not being able to contain his pride in the way his daughter had grown.

"Quite the footwork you have there," He complimented, not being able to deny the way his daughter had advanced since he'd seen her fight last. Her ambition to learn how to be a warrior had frightened him at first, as he'd always pictured her as his little princess, fragile and sweet. Before his eyes she'd grown into a powerful woman and he regretted ever doubting her abilities.

"I'm getting better, I can almost beat Red now," Emma grinned proudly.

"Hey, watch it," Ruby piped up, picking up her sword with a smirk before taking it back to the storage room where the training equipment was.

David chuckled, "I thought we could go for a ride, kid," He suggested, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him affectionately.

"Yeah that sounds good," Emma nodded, playfully grabbing his arm and reversing his hold, effectively getting out of the headlock, "Regina coming?"

"No, she's busy up in her tower," David laughed as his daughter walked backwards, seeing how much more comfortable and confident she was now, "Working on spells."

"And not to mention she's probably too with child to be bouncing around on a horse now."

"Don't let her hear you say that, okay?" David chuckled, knowing Emma meant well, "She's a little sensitive right now."

"I know right," Emma glanced at him wide-eyed as they made their way towards the stables, "Have you seen her try to reach for a book on the top shelf, though?" She asked, trying to suppress a grin before they both burst into laughter.

"Earlier," David bit his bottom lip with a grin, "How was she while I was gone? She said you and Red and Granny kept a close watch on her."

"She was really strong," Emma nodded as they made their way into the stables, "I think she liked leading in a way...but I could tell she missed you. She was always getting updates from the messengers on your location."

"And what about you? How did you cope?" He asked, catching a glance at her after grabbing the blanket for his horse.

"I just wish I was older so I could've done more to help, you know?" A worried frown appeared on Emma's features, "everybody here never let me do my part. I get why, I'm the princess and I have to be protected and I'm not old enough and all that...but I'm not some fragile princess that needs to be locked away in a tower for her safety. I want to help."

"I know you do, and I admire that," David replied honestly, "That will come in time and with age. I was thinking now that I'm back you can start shadowing me when it comes to drawing defense plans and things for the knighthood."

"Really?" Her eyes widened at the thought.

"Really."

"I'd like that," Emma nodded quickly.

David grinned at the way his daughters eyes seemed to glaze over, knowing she was imagining it all, "So, did you miss me?" He asked playfully.

"Lets just say I like it better when you're home," Emma admitted with a shrug, looking at him briefly, "Don't let it go to your head, though."

"Wouldn't dream of it," David grinned, "C'mon lets get going if we're going to be back in time for dinner."

* * *

Regina woke with a start, chest heaving and glistening with sweat as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of their bed chamber. Once she could see she turned her head to see if her startle had woken her husband, but it hadn't. David still slept peacefully on his back, one muscular arm folded above his head, chest bare and broad in the moonlight creeping in the window.

She clenched the bed sheets under her hands at the sensations swirling in her body as she tried to calm her breathing. Her nipples were rock hard, begging for attention. Her abdomen was coiled tightly, arousal pooling between her legs, leaving her thighs sticky and damp.

The dream she'd awoken from played in her mind, making it hard for her to concentrate on anything but the pleasure she felt during it. They'd been in a field, remnants of their picnic scattered in the grass as the blanket they'd been using had turned into a bed for them. David had her dressed bunched at her waist as his head laid between her thighs, his eyes locked on hers.

She'd been sitting on his mouth, a position that was so intimate for her it nearly made her come just thinking of it in her current state of arousal. He'd been suckling her clit, watching her intensely as his hands massaged her ass, spreading it as he did so in a way that sent a sweet tingle of pleasure through her all its own.

It was when she reached down to grip his hair, fingers threading through it as she moaned and rocked her dripping sex on his hard chin and sucking lips, that she'd begun to wake up. She'd been so close to coming that she could feel the beginnings of it when her eyes had popped open. Even now her thighs were clenched, tense with pent up arousal.

Pregnancy hormones had caused these dreams when David had been away and she'd had to touch herself the nights she'd woken up alone. Her eyes wandered back to her sleeping husband, heart thudding a little faster in her chest again as she took him in. The sheet was merely draped low on his waist, his abdominal muscles peaking out, making her clit throb harder when she saw them.

He was especially defined since his return from battle, every muscle on him toned and strong. His shoulders were bulkier, arms thicker. He was entirely man and she loved the feeling of his body on hers, had missed it. David respected her as his equal, but she enjoyed when he was dominate in the bedroom. His masculinity and her femininity complimented each other perfectly. He could handle her with ease, a combination of firm but gentle that made her pliant in his hands, begging for more.

She bit down on her bottom lip when temptation and desperation prompted her to reach for the his hand that laid on his stomach. Her fingers ran over his, seeing he still did it budge. She admired the roughness of his fingers, the length and the size of them compared to her own as she gently lifted his hand from him.

He stirred a little as she moved his hand under their covers, spreading her legs in anticipation. A slight nervousness shot through her at how wanton the entire thing was, but she wanted him so badly. Her shift was already near her waist with as much squirming as she had done in her dream, making it easy for her to slide his hand down between her legs.

A gasp escaped her when she pushed his fingers between wet folds, feeling his calloused finger slide over her clit. She watched him begin to stir as she leaned her head over to kiss at his shoulder to wake him, beginning to move his fingers under her own on her swollen bundle of nerves. His eyes fluttered at the low moan that came from her when his fingers moved on their own accord, knowing he was awake.

His own moan erupted from his throat as he blinked sleepy eyes, turning his head to look at her in the dark. She saw his expression change from dazed to aroused when their eyes locked. He slowly rolled to the side, keeping his fingers deep in her folds, pressing against her clit. Her legs fell open completely when he began massaging circles, ripping a whimper from her as her head fell back and her eyes closed.

"Good dream?" David's low, sleepy voice rumbled from his chest quietly, breath tickling her ear as he watched her now.

" _Mm-y-yeah_ ," She admitted breathily, eyes coming open to look up at him, one hand reaching to grip his wrist as his hand worked between her thighs.

"What were we doing, Regina?" He murmured, pressing his thumb to her clit now as his other two fingers began to probe her wetness.

"H-having a-a picnic- _unnnnhhh_ ," She replied, choking on a moan when he slid two fingers into her slowly, thumb swirling teasingly on her clit.

"Oh?" She found him half smirking when she opened her eyes again, though he breathed heavier himself, "What was I eating on this picnic?" He asked and she moaned, knowing instantly that he was well aware of what would get her so aroused.

" _Me_ ," She expelled a breath, beginning to move her hips against his hand, grinding her sex further onto the length of his fingers, taking more of them.

"My favorite," He replied a little gruffly, arousal affecting his own voice. His fingers slid inside of her deeply, curling towards her belly to reach the spot inside of her that made her soak them both when she came, "I love the way you taste, sweetheart."

She trembled now, continuous whimpers falling from her lips as she rolled her hips, gripping his arm for leverage with one hand and the sheet beside her with the other. His words hit her abdomen like a burst of magic, coiling her arousal intensely until she felt it would almost be painful if he quit now, " _More_!" She begged in a strangled gasp.

David obliged, starting to thrust his fingers in a curled motion, hitting her spot each time, bringing her closer and closer to the edge. She teetered, thighs gaping, hips pushing up towards his hand, sweat glistening on her chest. Her hands flew to her own breasts, giving her nipples some much needed release as she toyed with them through her shift.

His thumb rubbed circles on her clit with firm presses, fingers pumping into her wet heat. She yelped when her muscles clenched his digits firmly, orgasm flooding through her body in a wave of release. He groaned at the mess she made, slipping his fingers from her and popping the tips of them in his mouth briefly as she writhed and shuddered through her release.

Regina's eyes opened to see him tasting her arousal from his own fingers, breath catching at how erotic the display was. She no longer held the shame she would've in the past over the things they did together, feeling comfortable with being sexual now. It felt good to know the pleasures they could bring each other and that they alone shared it.

He shifted, bringing his body in between her legs as he came overtop of her. Her bump prevented their torsos from being as close as they once were, but David still could lean down and kiss her soundly. Her head swam at the taste of herself on his tongue, moaning into his mouth.

"You're magnificent," David whispered huskily, hands running underneath her bottom to tilt her hips up. He ground his hips against hers until his tip found her slit, positioning himself at he entrance, "Can you take me, my Queen?"

"Mm," She whimpered with a nod, snaking her legs around his back to clamp around his sides. His tip brushed pushed through her wet folds, filling her slowly and pulling a lazy moan from her throat. He was so hard she made herself relax around him, adjusting to the stiffness. Her hands found his back when he began to rock, nails digging in with the friction.

"You feel so wet and warm," David groaned into her neck when he buried his face and began to nibble on her skin, hips pistoning slowly into her, cock hitting her deeply where his fingers just had, "And you're so tight. You feel incredible," He murmured, her thighs tightening around his sides with each word he spoke.

" _Harder_ ," She whimpered, digging her nails deeper into his back as she tried to curl her hips at meet his thrusts, requiring some assistance from him to tilt her hips up with his hands. "David _I'm_ - _oh_ -g-" She cried out loudly when her orgasm hit her a little sooner than she wanted to, though no less intense than her first. He groaned himself as he spilled deeply inside of her, staying sheathed within her for a few moments before slowly slipping out.

She smiled breathlessly into the darkness, fingers massaging through his hair as his head stayed tucked in her neck for a moment, "Sorry to wake you."

"I'm not sorry," His lips curled against her skin, stubble tickling her.

She let out a giggle when his arms slid underneath her into an embrace, "Me neither."


	27. Chapter 27

_well hello. sorry this one has been neglected. super busy summer! hopefully more time to write in the fall :) don't hate me too much for what is about to happen in the chapter after this...i've taken into account all of your opinions on the direction of the story, and i think with what i want to do, you'll all be satisfied in the end. let me know what you think! xxx_

* * *

Granny smiled to herself as she walked into the dining hall, seeing the young Queen sitting atop her husband's lap. David had his hand pressed to the swell of Regina's stomach and they looked at each other in awe of their child moving. She was nearing eight months along now and heavily pregnant, though her frame was still petite and slender, all except for her bump. She made a beautiful mother to be and it had only seemed to make the couple closer, which Granny was grateful for.

"Morning Granny," David smiled when he glanced up, wrapping his arm around Regina tighter. Emma was already up and outside in the courtyard training and it had been a lazy, quiet Saturday morning for the people of the castle.

"It appears you have a visitor coming, Regina," Granny winked with a smile after spotting the familiar carriage approaching the castle on her way down the staircase.

Regina looked to David curiously, "Who?" she raised an eyebrow, excitement bubbling when he only grinned in return, "David, who is it?"

"Go see for yourself," He chuckled, helping her up from his lap before standing himself. He pressed a hand to her lower back as he followed her to the main foyer, allowing the guards to open the large front doors for them.

"Father!" Regina gasped with a bright smile, not having seen him for a couple of months since he returned to her childhood home.

"Hey, hey, careful," David smirked, wrapping an arm around her waist when she nearly jolted out the door for the carriage, slowing her down, "Remember what the midwife said, you're supposed to be taking it easy."

"I'm perfectly fine," She raised a challenging eyebrow up at him defiantly and all he could do was laugh as she peeled herself out of his embrace and went to greet her father. He loved that she'd become a spitfire and found her voice, no longer hiding her emotions from him.

The carriage rolled to a stop and the driver dismounted, coming around to open the door. She practically beamed when her father came into view as he stepped down, though her head tilted curiously when he gave her a half hearted smile and turned to extend his hand. Her heart stopped when familiar brown hair and eyes shown as her mother ducked out of the carriage and descended the steps with Henry's help. David closed the space between he and his Queen quickly, placing a supportive hand on her waist.

"He never asked to bring her," He murmured down Regina's ear, watching her carefully, "I can send them away this instant if you wish."

Her throat worked but no words came out for a moment, though she reached down to thread her fingers through his that rested on her side. He squeezed her to him gently, offering whatever comfort and support he could while still letting her make the decision. "It's okay, we'll see what she wants."

David nodded once, respecting her decision as he looked up sternly at Henry and Cora. Henry looked almost apologetic and he knew the weak man would not have been able to stop Cora once she decided she was joining him. Regina's mother approached them and David could see her taking in her daughter's changed appearance, his confusion bubbling when he saw the mist in the older woman's eyes. What was her angle, now?

"Henry," David reached out, shaking his father-in-law's hand firmly before looking to Cora as she and his wife stared at one another.

"Your majesties," Cora swallowed hard when she met his gaze, flickering between the both of them as she did a small curtsy.

"Why are you here, mother?" Regina cut to the chase, demanding her mother be honest. She had played her mother's games too many times in the past and she was not going to let her manipulate her as she once had. She was a woman now, with her own child to care for and a husband who she knew would always support her. She wasn't scared of Cora anymore.

"Believe it or not, I wanted to see you," Cora smiled a weak smile that could be mistaken for submissive or genuine, but neither David nor Regina were buying it yet. "Your father told me of your condition and I wanted to see it for myself…" Her eyes filled with adoration as she looked down at Regina's swollen stomach, "You're glowing, sweetheart."

Regina's chin tilted up, hardening herself against Cora's kindness, though it was especially hard to do given the way the pregnancy kept her emotions on the surface, "And I'm meant to believe and forgive you after everything? Have you forgotten the way you manipulated myself and my family the last time you were here?"

Cora ducked her head submissively, "I am aware that I have made unforgiveable mistakes, but I recently…well, I discovered what had been missing all of those years."

David held Regina against his side securely, staring Henry and Cora down. His protective nature was practically radiating off of him and Regina felt calm and collected feeding off of his energy. Henry chose to speak up then, an earnest expression on his face, "Your mother has her heart back in her chest again, Regina."

"What?" Regina frowned, glancing between the two of them. She was never aware that her mother did not have her heart in her chest. Questions bubbled within her and she merely watched her mother in confusion.

"If you would give me the chance, I would like to explain myself, Regina," Cora looked at her seriously, "I do not expect you to forgive me…but I would like to tell you my story if you'll allow me."

Regina glanced up at David then, the uncertainty clear in her eyes, "It is up to you, darling," He said quietly, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles over her side where he held her, "I'll support what you choose."

She took a deep breath before leveling gazes with her mother. It wasn't that she had dreams of she and Cora ever having the traditional mother and daughter relationship, but she was curious as to what she meant. Her mother did seem different, like it could be more than an act that was prompting her to come here. She decided to hear her out and gave a slow nod, "I will hear you out, but the first time you threaten or try to manipulate me or my family, you will be banished. Understood?"

"Understood."

* * *

"And so because of my love for him…I removed my heart. I became so used to living without it that until I realized what I had done to you, I did not know how severe the damage I had done was," Cora looked at Regina truthfully from their seats in the drawing room. David and Henry had left them alone, David reassuring her that if she needed him at all he'd be right there. So she'd listened to her mother as she explained her history, absorbing it in, putting together the pieces of why the woman who raised her was the way she was.

"But…Rumple…really?" Regina shook her head with a hard swallow, trying to understand.

"He understood me in a way no one had," She smiled weakly, "This past year…since you sent me away, it made me begin to think of the way I'd raised you. I was always so focused on giving you the life that I never achieved. I was so blinded by my ambition that I ignored what you wanted. And when I recently put my heart back in my chest…Everything I've done to you has haunted me."

"Why now? After everything you have done to me…all of the punishments, the torture," Regina steeled her emotion and stared firmly back at her mother. "Why put your heart back in now? Why come to me now?"

"I wanted to know…or rather feel what I'd done," Cora answered, eyes welling with tears, "I wanted to experience the guilt and the pain and the shame I should have with everything I'd done to you. I deserved it. And I am so sorry."

Regina watched her mother for a moment and sensed she was being genuine. There was no longer the dark glint of ulterior motives in her eyes, no dazzling smiles to cover her true motives. Just a worn, tired looking woman whose decisions in life were catching up with her. "You sold me to a stranger," She replied bluntly, remaining emotionless. The only way she could get through this conversation with the woman who had hurt her more than anyone was to keep her feelings separate from it. She had healed with the help of David and the love she had here, therefore she no longer needed nor wanted the woman's validation. But if her mother wanted her to even consider forgiveness, then she had to be honest with her.

"I abused you," Cora swallowed hard at the knot in her throat as her voice started to waiver, "I was cruel to you, physically and emotionally. I was much too hard on you. I denied you love in order to try to make you into the Queen I wanted you to be. But you," She smiled tearfully, "My sweet girl, have too much of your father's good heart, you took this horrible situation I thrust you into and you made it better. You found love and you made a difference in this kingdom. You made a life for yourself and remained good despite everything I did to you. And now you will become a mother, a wonderful mother."

"How do you know I will?" Regina's own emotions swelled in her throat, constricting her voice, "It's not as if I had the best example."

"Indeed, I was far, far from it," Cora looked down in shame, fidgeting with her hands in her lap, "But you're gentle and good. Everything I tried to take out of you remains. You will be the mother you always wanted. The mother I should have been to you…"

"But you always said…" She bit down on her bottom lip, nostrils flaring slightly in anger at herself for letting her emotions show. "You always said I could be so much more. That being myself was just a waste of time. That I could achieve greatness. What makes me suddenly enough for you to accept now? Because I am Queen? Because I am providing an heir to the throne that you can someday manipulate and control when you do away with me?"

Cora smiled weakly, shame evident in her features at the realization that this is what her own daughter would expect of her. It gave Regina a bit of satisfaction to see her mother squirm, to lay all of her sins out there and make her see herself for what she was. "I know that that's what I have made you believe of me and my intentions with my past actions. But if you will give me the chance, my daughter, I will prove to you that you are enough. That you've always been enough and it was my own blind foolishness and darkness that consumed me and made me think otherwise. I will prove myself to you if you will allow me the chance."

Regina watched her mother for a moment, studying her expression. She'd never seen her so pleading, so vulnerable. In fact, she couldn't recall a time that Cora had asked her permission for anything. "I will allow you this one chance. Do with it what you will."

Cora's breath hitched at her daughter's response, "I won't let you down."

"It would be less surprising than the alternative," Regina stood stoically from her seat, "I will have one of the maids prepare a chamber on the east wing for you and father. If you'll excuse me."

* * *

"I can hear you thinking," David whispered quietly as he watched Regina stare into the distance of their kingdom. He sat on the chaise lounge on the veranda of their bedchamber, one leg stretched along it and the other bent with his foot on the floor. Regina laid in between his legs, leaning against his chest with her head tucked under his chin. She'd been quiet since dinner with her parents that was awkward at best, but he hadn't pressed her. He knew sometimes she just needed time to think and process before he inquired.

"I am sorry," Regina replied, lifting her head slightly to press a kiss to his chest that was bared by the first few buttons of his shirt being undone before laying her head back down against it, staring off into the starlit sky.

"You don't need to apologize to me," He frowned slightly, running a hand over her hair and through her locks gently. His other hand rested on her bump, massaging slow circles over the child she carried, "What are you thinking of, my Queen?"

"Everything," She let out a breath, reaching down to place her hand over his and move it to the side of her stomach where the baby gently moved, "Can you feel it?" She smiled faintly, keeping her eyes on the night sky.

"I can," David smiled warmly, leaning down to press his lips to her hair in a gentle kiss, "I love you so much."

"Do you think I'll be a good mother?" She asked quietly, her question taking him by surprise.

He intertwined the fingers that lay over her bump, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, "There is no doubt in my mind that you will make the best mother I know. In fact, I see you with Emma, who is much older and not even your own, but you offer her the friendship and the guidance of a mother. I can only imagine what you will be like when we get to meet this child."

"Do you believe my mother has good intentions?" She asked quietly, her thumb toying with his own much larger one, feeling the roughness of the skin contrasting to her smooth one.

"Do you?" David went back to playing with her hair with his free hand, hearing her sigh in contentment, "You know her much better than I."

"Strangely…I do," She lifted her head slowly, propping her chin on his chest to look up at him, "Do you think me foolish for giving her a chance?"

"Not at all," He replied seriously, brushing his thumb over her temple gently, "I will take care of you."

"I can take care of myself," She reassured him, troubling her bottom lip with her teeth. He could tell she was teetering between emotions, being exhausted by the day and all that it held.

"I know," He smiled, fingers scratching her scalp slowly, "But you don't have to anymore."

* * *

"Whatcha staring at?" An inquiring voice startled Cora from her place in the courtyard, overlooking the mountains ahead. The green tint to the fog had intrigued her on her stroll around the castle grounds. The past few weeks here had been productive, yet her troubling dreams of Rumple with that same green fog did not cease, making her uneasy.

She turned then, seeing the young Princess dressed head to toe in armor, mud on her knees and hair a mess as she pulled off her helmet. Her eyes widened as the teenager dropped the helmet, letting it clang on the walkway before plopping down beside her. She certainly was a strange girl. "Does your father know you fight like a boy?"

"Mhm," Emma smiled smugly, leaning back against the bench, fully aware of Cora's instinct to be critical that the older woman was desperately trying to stifle, "He encourages it. Regina even bought me a set of armor. And Ruby is teaching me. She's better than the knighthood anyways," She rolled her eyes with a snort.

"Interesting…" Cora raised an eyebrow, finding the girl's wild nature a bit endearing. Given the chance, Regina would've been just like her at that age. All tomboy and no interest in dresses or frills. "And you prefer this sort of activity to going to tea or attending balls?"

"God, yes," Emma shook her head with wide eyes, making Cora chuckle at the girl's expression, "So…How long are you and Henry here for?"

"Regina has agreed to let us stay for the arrival of the baby," Cora couldn't help but smile at the mention of her grandchild, "I will stay for a few weeks afterwards if she needs help adjusting…"

"She's gonna be a great mom," Emma nodded once, glancing at her, "You're being a lot nicer to her this time around."

Cora raised an eyebrow at the gall of the girl, "I've been attempting to make some changes, yes."

"But you looked concerned when I came over here," Emma dug a little, feeling protective over her step-mother now, "Almost like you were thinking about something or planning something."

"Just what are you trying to insinuate, child?" She frowned, her quick temper catching up with her as she gave the girl an incredulous stare.

Emma, however, wasn't phased by the woman. She knew if she was really trying to change for Regina that she would not hurt her or entirely lose her temper, for she was trying to prove that she was different. Which made it all the more easier to interrogate her true intentions, "I'm just saying…I remember what you did last time you were here," She frowned, "But Regina is mine and my Dad's family now. We won't let that happen again."

"And it won't," Cora leveled her gaze with Emma's, "I am not here to hurt her, or anyone."

"Good," Emma stood, scooping up her helmet and picking up her sword, twirling it rather cockily, "Cause if you do, you'll have me to deal with."

Cora's mouth gaped as she watched the girl saunter back across the courtyard before a laugh bubbled up in her chest. As absurd as it was, she'd just been threatened by a teenage princess dressed in armor and she respected the fact that she was protective of Regina. In fact, she could quite like this step-granddaughter of hers.

* * *

"Henry," David approached his father in law, a slightly frown playing at his lips as he gave the older man a curt nod when he found him in the library, "I hope I'm not interrupting."

He'd been waiting for a moment to get Regina's father alone and discuss their arrival, not wanting to do so until she wasn't around. Her mother's arrival had unnerved her no matter the brave face she tried to keep. He wanted to support her, truly, but a part of him was very wary of just who he'd allowed into their home and given Regina's condition, his protective nature was in full force.

"Of course not," Henry smiled and looked up from the giant history book he studied. The man had been enthralled with the kingdom's library since the first time he visited and Regina had shown him. She was much like her father in that way, always curious and daydreaming or reading something.

"Regina went to rest, she told me to tell you she'd be downstairs after her nap," David chuckled and sat down at the library table across from Henry. He'd already made Ruby and a few of his trusted guards aware to keep an eye on Cora. The last that had been reported to him was her wandering the palace grounds and the eerie fog that laid in the horizon did not mix well for his suspicions.

"How did you manage that? She's always hated naps," The silver haired man chuckled fondly, "Since she was a little girl."

"Well, I convinced her that we'd do nothing exciting without her here and reminded her she needed to keep her strength for the baby," David smirked, leaving out the back massage that had his wife melting and purring by the end.

"You do have a way with her that no one else seems to," His wife's father smiled briefly at David when he glanced up from his books, "She's a head strong girl...even when Cora tried to take that out of her."

"Speaking of Cora," David let out a breath, drumming his fingers on the edge of the table as he looked down at it, "I wanted to talk with you about her."

"I do apologize for bringing her without warning," Henry frowned and looked down, "But she has indeed had a change of heart, as hard as it is to believe. I knew neither of you would give her a chance if I told you ahead of time..."

"And you think she deserves a chance after what she's done to your daughter?" David scoffed, anger shooting through him briefly before he tried to tamper it down. He'd seen first hand how Cora had manipulated Regina and he knew she'd abused her in the past. His protective nature made him want to ring the older woman's neck, but his young wife seemed a bit more receptive. And he told her he'd respect her decision, after all.

"Cora, no. But Regina has lived her whole life wanting her mother's approval and never receiving it. Cora is trying to change, and with her heart back in, I think she can help Regina heal," Henry said seriously, his expression flickering with guilt. Good, the old man deserved to feel shame for what he'd allowed his daughter to go through.

"I don't know if I believe Cora," David frowned and let out a breath, "And I definitely don't trust her. She'll have a close eye kept on her by everyone here. We won't let Regina be hurt again," He looked at Henry firmly.

"Thank you," Henry locked eyes with him, "You take care of my little girl in a way I never could. But Cora respects you, because she respects power. And I appreciate how closely you care for Regina."

"She deserves it and more," David glanced down at his wedding band as he clasped his hands on the table, "So please know that I intend to keep her safe. No matter what."


	28. Chapter 28

_well hello...nearly a year later. Terrible, I know, but as I said I intend to finish all of my stories. I just got finished re-reading this story and had a plot breakthrough by the second chapter and knew the direction I wanted to take it. And this idea is much better than anything i would've forced before. I apologize for the wait, but I hope you'll find it worth it and don't hate the direction too much. After all, if you've read my other stories you know I always make things right. Let me know what you think :) xxx_

* * *

"She's a strange girl," Cora tilted her head to the side, watching David and Emma sword fighting in the courtyard from the veranda where she sat with Regina. Her statement made Regina laugh softly and give a shake of her head. There was no judgment or disapproval in Cora's statement where there used to be, she simply couldn't figure Emma out as her mother was traditional and not regularly exposed to free spirits like her step-daughter.

"Because she'd rather fight than have tea parties?" Regina smirked to herself, giving a glance to her mother as she ran a hand over her bump when she felt the baby kick. It had been about a month since Cora and Henry arrived and they'd made good progress in their complicated mother-daughter relationship. Though she was being cautious with her expectations of her mother, she could tell Cora was really making an effort. She seemed so different; still a bit reserved but considerably warmer, lacking the coldness and spitefulness she typically wore like armor.

"Well...somewhat. She was born a princess in the greatest kingdom of the realm," Cora raised an eyebrow when Emma fell in the mud and David only laughed at her, "Yet she likes playing in the mud like a young boy."

"She wants to be a knight," Regina smiled to herself proudly, watching her husband and step-daughter sparring. David and Emma were so much alike, the fact becoming more apparent as Emma came into her own. She'd grown so close to her husband's daughter that she felt a strong urge to mother her, despite the small age difference between them.

"But that's unheard of-" Cora looked at Regina as if she'd said Emma had two heads. Cora was from a very different generation and Regina herself had been influenced by Cora's adherence to gender roles in the beginning. She always found it ironic though that her mother claimed to be traditional, yet clearly wore the pants when it came to her marriage.

"Not entirely, Red is a great fighter and there's the legendary warrior, Mulan," Regina replied to her mother. It felt good to be able to have a conversation with Cora without fear of backlash or the manipulation it used to bring. Her mother knew her place here and she knew she had things to work on if she were going to be a part of her grandchild's life. They'd had many conversations already about the past; Cora's abuse, Regina's upbringing, the family dynamic. Everything had been dragged out on the table at one point or another and it felt like a weight had been lifted from Regina's shoulders to get everything out in the open with Cora.

"She's certainly got the spirit for it," Her mother gave a halfhearted compliment.

"Somehow I'm not surprised you don't understand why Emma would want to do anything other than play the role she was born into," Regina rolled her eyes, half in jest but half in calling her mother out. There were still moments when Cora's old habits would surface and she needed reminded why she was here - for a second chance with her family, not to continue the cycle. "Historically speaking you have had a hard time understanding that not everyone has the same ambitions you do."

Her mother turned to look at her then with an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean it in that way, I just find her interesting. Maybe even refreshing," Cora perked a brow in an attempt to compliment Emma again. She had a funny habit of scrambling to compliment or voice her approval if she felt Regina was becoming irritated with her for falling back into her old judgmental ways.

It was amusing to Regina how the tables had turned so quickly. She hadn't expected anything to change when Cora showed up with Henry a month ago, claiming she wanted a second chance. Everyone knew, especially Cora, that she did not deserve the opportunity that Regina granted her to make things right, but so far she had not squandered it. She remained careful around her mother, but still hopeful that their relationship could someday be fully mended. Her mother had slowly started to get to know Regina's new family, finding her place with them in the past few weeks. David tolerated Cora but Regina knew he was still wary of her and would most likely always be, though he never interfered or made it an issue within their relationship.

There were still years of hurt and bad memories she and Cora had to work through together, but she felt they were slowly fading with each new memory they were making to replace them. Regina knew if she were to move forward she had to learn to forgive her mother and let some of the resentment she harbored go. Carrying the burden of her past pain was only weighing her down now and she was ready to be truly happy and free of it. She did not want to raise her baby in any familial dysfunction and she'd made it clear to her mother that she would need to continue to prove herself in order to stay in their lives. Things had been going well so far.

"How are you feeling, daughter?" Cora asked, bringing Regina from her thoughts as she absentmindedly rubbed her belly. The tiny human inside of her had been kicking and stretching, dancing on her bladder and keeping her up all night in the past few weeks. Carrying a child was the most amazing experience she'd ever lived through. It was also one of the most uncomfortable at times. "Is my grandchild still keeping you up at night?"

"Yes," She smiled tiredly at her mother, leaning back in her chair and enjoying the breeze that swept the castle hill, blowing through the covered veranda. The season was slowly turning to summer and the days were growing warmer, making the late days of her pregnancy especially miserable at times. "Granny insists that I stay within a few feet of the castle at all times since I'm so near my due date, but it's not as if I have the energy to go anywhere."

Regina's last outing was with David to the nearby villages a few weeks ago. Though her feet and back ached incessantly during her hours in the tower, she was able to perfect her healing magic for the nearby villages whose land had been destroyed the war. The potion was able to restore the vitality of the soil to even better quality than before. The villages were booming with crops and trade and their economy began to repair itself. When they visited these villages now, the people approached her with great thanks, telling her how she had saved them and their families. It gave her a sense of pride and purpose that she was able to prove herself vital to the kingdom and not just a fill in for David when he was at war. People were beginning to respect her.

"You should listen to Granny Lucas," Cora nodded, "I was put on bedrest for the last few weeks before you were born. Pregnancy and births can be difficult for the women in our family."

"Not you, too," Regina sighed playfully, "Between you and Granny and David I can't do anything."

"David said that Granny was a very knowledgeable midwife and has helped women deliver hundreds of babies," Her mother lectured gently, "You'd be wise to listen to what she has to say. We're only looking out for your best interests."

"I never thought I'd hear that line from you and actually believe it," Regina snorted, earning a disapproving squint from her mother. It was still a thrill to sass her or stand her ground with the woman and have no fear of what came next. The dynamic was entirely different to their previous relationship. She was a woman now, no longer the fearful girl Cora could control. There would be times when she would forget and hesitated to speak or wince after speaking her mind to Cora now, but she soon remembered herself. For so many years she'd walked egg shells around this woman and old habits die hard.

"Believe what?" David smiled breathlessly as he sauntered over towards them, Emma trailing behind, trying to keep up with his long strides. She bit her bottom lip to suppress the wide grin that spread across her face when she saw him approaching. He was in a plain faded grey cotton shirt, some light armor and pants that fit him in a way that made Regina wish she wasn't in the company of their family. Her hormones were all over the place to the point he could smile at her and she'd be a horny mess.

"That she should follow Granny's advise and take it easy until she gives birth," Cora replied, earning a good humored eyeroll from Regina.

David grinned as he took the few steps up to the veranda in one, leaning down and pressing his hands on the arms of Regina's chair as he bent to give her a quick kiss, "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm on Cora's side here," He smiled apologetically as he straightened back up.

"Well today is certainly a day of firsts," Cora replied jokingly with a glance at Regina and a hint of a smile. She and David were cordial around each other but never overly friendly, only interacting when they needed to. Regina knew it would get better in time as long as Cora continued the path she was on. David was protective of her and though he never tried to intervene in their relationship, he was certainly keeping an eye on things as he'd sworn he'd never let Cora hurt her again.

"Hey grandma, got anything good to drink?" Emma smirked as she took the steps up to the sitting area, assuming the usual teasing and terrorizing of Cora. Regina and David found it amusing as it was all in good fun and the banter between the two of them was actually quite entertaining to watch.

"The horse troughs are that way, dear," Cora replied dryly but Regina could see a hint of a smile curling at the corners of her lips. Cora could fuss or make remarks about Emma all she wanted, but the girl had grown on her and there was no denying it.

"Ouch, good one," Emma nodded in approval with a grin, "I'm gonna go put this stuff up," She said to David before grabbing the swords and two shields they were using.

"Dinner should be soon Emma, don't get distracted," Regina called after her but she was already running across the courtyard.

"I think I'm going to take a short walk before dinner," Cora stood and brushed out her gown, glancing out towards the land beyond the castle. Regina failed to notice what had distracted Cora and instead focused on her husband, looking back to him with a smile.

David smiled and leaned against one of the columns, crossing his arms over his chest casually, "What do you think she's plotting?" He smirked jokingly down at her, reaching out to give her his hand and help her up. Her rounded belly made getting out of chairs and bed quite a challenge these days, making her feel like a whale that had been washed upon the shore. "A curse? Emma's disappearance?"

"Hm well, she is supposed to be on her best behavior so no curses," Regina groaned a little as she stood with his help, her hands snaking around his waist when he pulled her gently towards him, "And she's too fond of Emma to get rid of her."

David chuckled and pressed his lips to Regina's forehead in a soft kiss, "What do you say I whisk you away to our room for a nice, relaxing nap?"

"Now you're just talking dirty," Regina grinned up at him as his arms encased her, making them both laugh. Just a few months ago, sneaking to their room midday led to much more exciting activities. Alas, she was heavily pregnant now and when he suggested a nap it sounded almost as good as sex.

"Want me to keep going?" David asked playfully, arms wrapped around her arms and waist, letting her lean into him for support.

"Don't stop," She replied teasingly with a husky tone, looking up at him mischievously.

"I'm gonna lay you down on that bed so gently," David raised an eyebrow, lowering his voice in a sexy way, "And then I'm going to help you take off your shoes-"

"Mmm, that's going to feel nice," She interjected while suppressing a giggle, letting out a small surprised yelp when he scooped her up from the ground and into his arms.

"Then I'm going to open one of the windows to let the breeze in," He elaborated with a mockingly sexy inflection as he walked to the back entrance of the castle, carrying her with ease, "And then I'll take my own shoes and shirt off."

"Keep going-" Regina urged him with a slightly pleading tone, smirking.

"And then I'm going to lay down behind you and spoon you," David made a 'mm' sound under his breath for added humor, "And pull a bed sheet up over us slowly."

"And then?"

"We nap until dinner time," David delivered with a wag of his eyebrows before they both started laughing at how silly they were being, "But only if you're in the mood."

Regina smiled and laid her head against his chest as he started up the back stairs, "Always."

* * *

Henry put down his book when Cora came into the reading room, seeing her beginning to look through the collection, "Have you been outside with Regina all of this time?" He smiled and marked his place with his bookmark, happy with the progress his wife and daughter were making.

"For a while and then I took a walk," Cora sighed with a frown and looked over at him, "I saw the green fog again today."

"In the same area?" Henry looked at her with matched concern, "Did you get close?"

Cora shoved a book back into it's place before pacing towards him, brow furrowed with concern, "Only close enough to feel a bit of the fog," She nodded, sitting down across from him. Henry knew it must be serious as she typically only confided with him in this nature when she was worried.

"And?" Henry noticed her hesitance and it made him a bit nervous himself. If his wife was anxious or intimidated by something, it was for good reason.

"And it has magical qualities, I could feel it," Cora looked at him, pressing her lips into a contemplative line, "I first noticed it the other day. Emma said she and David had noticed it as well, luckily they have not thought anything of it."

"A lot of people in this realm have magic," Henry suggested with a frown, "Perhaps it does not mean anything ominous?"

"Maybe, if I hadn't had dreams involving Rumple and that same fog," She admitted and saw Henry's brows furrow in understanding, knowing about her past with Rumple. "Something is happening out there and I need to find out what it is. The magic..it...almost feels familiar to me...like it's a bit of my own brand..."

"Cora, you aren't seriously thinking of going to the source of it, are you?" He shook his head quickly.

"I need to make sure it's not a threat to our daughter and her family," She nodded adamantly, "I have a bad feeling about it and I want to take care of whatever it is before Regina notices it. She doesn't need the stress and she can't handle going up against a threat involving magic right now. Especially not dark magic."

"I don't like this," Henry shook his head and let out a breath, but understanding why, "We should discuss it with David and Regina, they can bring in their council. Maybe David can get a small army together to go."

"Henry I've dealt with this kind of magic my whole life," Cora shook her head, "Whatever it is will flatten the entire army in one swoop and most likely come after the castle for revenge. I can go and see where it's coming from and what we're up against. With my magic I'm better able to protect myself than some mere mortal soldiers are. Not to mention I won't have David and Regina worrying over this. Something could happen to Regina or the baby. I'd never forgive myself."

"Well I know there's no talking you out of it," Henry frowned with a nod, knowing arguing with her when it came to protecting her own would not go anywhere.

Cora gave a small, genuine smile at her husband, "You know me well, Dear."

* * *

Regina smiled as she made her way to the room just across the hall from she and David's bed chamber that they'd be converting into a nursery with the help of Granny, Red and Emma. Interior design wasn't of interest to Cora but she did assist in ordering everyone around and telling David when he hung a shelf or painting off center. Almost everyone had had a hand in turning the unused room into a cozy, child friendly bedroom for the castle's impending addition and she couldn't be happier with the end result.

They'd laid fur rugs across the stone floor to warm them and hung off white draperies around the windows that were light enough to let sunshine in but thick enough to dim the room when needed. David had surprised her with beautiful white wooden furniture to fill the room, made specially for them and hand carved by a nearby woodworker he knew. The crib was large and ornate, the four posts on the corners curling in an elegant manner and a matching armoire and dressing table that were equally detailed. Cora had passed along Regina's own crib dressings, soft white sheets and a matching blanket with embroidered edges that accented the furniture perfectly. Emma had even insisted that they take the chandelier form her own childhood nursery and put it in this one, as she remembered how captivated she'd been by the way the light filtered through the intricate glass-work.

She smiled as she glanced around the room that was quickly coming together, running a hand over her bump as excitement rippled through her at the thought of her child being there soon. Her eyes soon found Red who was on a stool near the far wall, working on the mural she had been painting. There was a mixture of nature and mythical creatures in the scenery she created, rolling hills and a large willow tree surrounded by flora and whimsical looking sprites and design. Red looked up from her work, wiping a hand across her brow and smudging it with paint as she held the easel with a smile, "You like it?"

"I love it," Regina shook her head with wide eyes, walking closer to the wall, "I had no idea you were so talented."

"Yeah I may be a dog but I got a few tricks," Ruby smirked with a shrug and looked back over her work, "I still got a lot of finishing work to do but I'll have it done in no time."

"The room is perfect," She smiled and bit her lip at a wave of emotion overcame her with another glance at everyones contributions, "I'm so grateful for everyone's help."

"Everyones help?" The wolf raised a brow as she watched the Queen try to control her emotions, "It's not a favor, everyone's doing their part, Regina. We're family, that's what we do," She smiled with a nod, realizing again how skewed the Queen's idea of family had been during her own upbringing.

"Right, I just," Regina shook her head with a soft smile and tears in her eyes, "I never imagined I'd have so much...love. And to know that my child is coming into the world with so many people who already care for them..." She said with a hard swallow and a nod, "Okay now is the part where you look back to your painting so I can cry in peace."

Red laughed and climbed down from her stool, setting the easel on top of it, "I'd give you a hug but I'm covered in paint and I'm not good at comforting people," She smirked good heartedly, making Regina chuckle through her blurry eyes, "But I know what you mean...I never thought I'd be able to live a normal life because of my shape shifting but...you helped find a way for me to control it with magic."

"I was glad to help," Regina smiled with a shrug, sniffling back her tears as she regained control of her pregnancy induced emotion.

"I'm glad you showed up when you did, I was tired of sleeping in a kennel every night," Red joked, referring to the dungeons, "Should we go find Granny and see what she's cooked up for lunch? I'm starved."

"Me too," She nodded with a smile, walking out of the nursery with her friend. "Emma and David should be in from their post visits soon."

"I bet you miss the freedom to go out on kingdom business," Ruby frowned with a glance towards the Queen who sighed wistfully.

"Kingdom visits...and riding in general," Regina smiled and shrugged, "But I try not to dwell on it. I'll have my freedom soon enough, and it's well worth the price," She added, rubbing a hand over her stomach when she felt a kick.

"They'll be here soon," Ruby nodded as they rounded the corner hall to start down the grand staircase, reaching out to wrap an arm around Regina's as a safety measure, "Wolf instinct, we can tell these things."

"Hmm I believe you, they're getting rather impatient in there," She laughed and moaned softly when she smelled the kitchen as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "Whatever Granny cooked, something smells good."

"Beef tip stew, roasted potatoes and carrots," Ruby grinned with a nod and tapped her nose, "Another wolf instinct."

* * *

"I don't want you to go today," Regina pouted as they laid in the middle of the large bed, her thigh still draped over David's as their breathing slowly returned to normal. She drew circles on his chest as his arm served as a pillow for her, bending at the elbow so his hand could play with her hair. Their sex was less athletic and adventurous for the moment but no less satisfying as their connection was stronger than ever. Her body still tingled from the orgasms he'd given her with his slow but deep thrusts and lips on her neck.

"I'll only be gone for a few hours," David smirked as he ran his right hand down the dip of her side and lower back, up over her hip to her thigh, enjoying the feeling of her curvier form, "But I don't want to either," He admitted and rubbed his nose with hers.

"Hm and meanwhile Red and Emma get to go with you and I'm missing all of the action," Regina added, playful edge in her tone as she pushed her finger into his chest.

"We're only going to a kingdom council meeting," He laughed and playfully grabbed her index finger, bringing it up to his mouth to kiss it, "You used to complain that those were so boring you almost fell asleep."

"It's fine," Regina replied with a dramatic flair, playing it up for him while suppressing a laugh, "I'll just be here with Granny and my mother and your child."

"Hmmm," David's grin broadened at the mention of the baby and he immediately rolled onto his stomach, propping up on his elbows as his hands ran over her bump, "Don't mind mommy, she's just being grumpy," He murmured with a smirk as his eyes shifted up to see Regina's expression, laughing against her skin when he pressed a kiss to her tummy.

"Hey!" She laughed and swatted his head playfully as she leaned up on her elbows, "I'm just a little stir crazy, that's all," She smiled and shook her head, "I got used to being able to roam. The freedom was nice."

"I know," David's expression became more serious then, leaning on his side and one elbow to look at her, "I worried when you fell pregnant that it was too soon...You're so young and only really beginning to experience what life had to offer-"

Her heart ached at the worry that marred his perfect features and she shook her head, reaching down to press a finger to his lips, "I wouldn't change a thing. I already love our child so much. Most women already have two or three by now. Besides you are a little older than me," She added with a playful smile, "We can't have our children and you in diapers at the same time."

"Hey!" David's mouth dropped in shock at her snarky comment before bursting into laughter and falling back onto the bed, "God, I love you," He confessed after a few moments, rubbing his hand absentmindedly over her thigh as he came down from his laughter.

"I love you, too," She smiled as she sat up, leaning over to press a kiss to his head, "Have a good day with Red and Emma."

* * *

Cora felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up when she poofed herself to the mountain in the horizon, landing at the forest line where the green fog eminated. Something in her gut told her that whatever lingered was a force to be reckoned with. Dark magic was at play, very similar to her own, and the person wielding it was full of rage and vengeance.

She made her way into the woods, keeping her palms up to monitor the energy permeating through the dark area. Whatever this person was doing here was not good, she could taste it in the magic in the air. The part that troubled her the most was the familiarity of it, feeling almost like a flashback to her own rage and bitterness she'd lived through.

"Fancy seeing you here, Dearie," A shrill voice called out in the darkness and she felt a shiver go up her spine at the instant recognition of who it was.

"Rumple," She growled, looking around until she spotted him not far off, leaning against a tree. His skin was sickly in color and oozed, telltale of whatever wicked thing he was partaking in, "I should've known you were involved."

"I'm insulted," He feigned hurt and held a slimy hand to his chest, "No 'hello, Rumple, lovely to see you again' or 'how have you been?'" He giggled at the glare she gave him.

"Let's cut to the chase," Cora squared her shoulders and forced herself not to give into the rage he evoked in her, "What are you doing so close to my daughter's kingdom? What are you up to?"

"Me, up to something?" He pretended to be hurt before drumming his fingers together and straightening up from the tree, "Have you ever known me to be up to something?"

"What do you want with Regina?" She glared at him firmly.

"Me? Oh no no no no," Rumple giggled again, "It's not me who wants anything to do with Regina. No, I already tried that path but her pretty King derailed her rage. She became of no use to me."

"What are you talking about?" Cora grit through clenched teeth as she closed the space between them, her magic practically vibrating as she contained herself from lashing out.

"Well...you see she was going to do a favor for me," Rumple hissed and began pacing the forest floor, "I thought she would do. So angry, so powerful, waiting to be cultivated into something great - just like her mother was, but I overestimated her."

"What have you done?!"

"As luck would have it I was approached by your first born," Rumple grinned wickedly as he watched Cora's confusion, "No Dear, your actual first born. The angry daughter you deserted when she was just a babe."

"...Zelena," Cora gasped, the pieces falling together suddenly as to why she felt a familiarity in the magic brewing. "Where is she? What did you do to her?"

"Calm down Dearie, who do you take me for? I didn't harm the girl," Rumple rolled his eyes and hopped onto his other foot theatrically, "In fact, I like to think I helped her reach her full potential. When your dear Queen Regina failed me, I had to find someone to help me get to the Land Without Magic. Someone with more rage, more determination, more hatred."

"You," Cora screamed in rage as she stepped up to him, "You leave my daughters alone!"

"Why would I do that when this deal is so mutually beneficial?" Rumple smiled sweetly, "I mentor Zelena into casting the Dark Curse so that I can get to the Land Without Magic and she can get revenge on you and her useless sister! Isn't it wonderful how things just fall together?!" He clapped and giggled his sickening laugh.

"If you really had the means to do this then why haven't you done it yet?" She challenged him, fists clenched with rage, "You're bluffing, Rumple."

"Oh if only," He cooed and pressed his palms together, "You see, watching you and Regina mend your relationship has only enraged your wicked firstborn more. She's more powerful than ever."

"That's where your plan is faulty," Cora narrowed her eyes, "If I remember clearly the person who casts the curse has to have the heart of the thing they love most. Zelena is an orphan and an angry, rage filled one at that. How can she take the heart of something that doesn't exist?"

"You see, that's where it comes rather poetic," Rumple raised his index finger with a grin, "Her rage at being orphaned and her jealousy over her sister, it all boils down to one thing. She wants her mother's love," He tilted his head, reaching out to run his pointy claw of a fingernail over the middle of her chest. "Despite how much she wants to hate you she can't. Isn't it sweet? Her love for you is both her power and her undoing."

Cora clenched her fist, channeling her magic to try to dull her rapid heartbeat, "I took my heart out years ago, you know that," She replied, barely finishing before Rumple's hand sunk into her chest. Her barrier spell was no match to his magic and she felt the pain hit her when his cold fingers gripped her organ.

"Nice try, Dearie, but you could never lie to me."

* * *

Regina heard the clock strike another hour, looking up from her book of spells as she sat in the middle of her tower. Her desk was a mess, surrounded by the books she was studying and the herbs and ingredients she'd been using. She smiled to herself at the thought of David, Red and Emma being home soon, having lost track of time by immersing herself in her craft.

Her back ached from sitting too long, _another wonderful side effect of pregnancy._ However, if she stood in front of her desk too long her feet would ache instead. She smiled tiredly and rubbed her lower abdomen, feeling the pressure of an arm or foot as she stood and stretched, "Easy, I know you're impatient," She murmured, often talking to the baby when she was alone, "I am too, but we'll meet one another soon enough, there's no need to kick."

She paused from cleaning up her books when a cool breeze caught her off guard, glancing up to see if she'd left one of the windows open. They weren't, and her confusion grew as to where the change in air came from, especially in the heat of the summer. Her question was answered when she turned to see her mother appearing at the top of the tower staircase. She wasn't sure why but her blood ran cold at the expression her mother wore and the fear she used to instill in her was back in full force.

"Mother, I-I didn't hear you," She forced a slight laugh and turned to face her direction, "You startled me."

"As I should, Darling," Cora gave a playful smirk but the glint in her eyes sent a shiver down Regina's spine. "What are you doing up here all alone? Working on your magic?"

"Yes..." Regina took a deep breath as her mother walked towards the large desk, slowly stalking her way around it.

"It's a shame you didn't put more effort into it when you had an excellent teacher like Rumple," Cora smiled wickedly and Regina's stomach turned, sensing something seriously wrong had happened, "Don't look so alarmed, Regina. You're not the only Mills girl to dabble in the darkness Rumplestiltskin offers."

"Wh-how did you..." Regina watched her, confusion clouding her judgement as fear for herself and her child began to take over.

"Oh I ran into Rumple today and he told me you had taken a few lessons from him," She tilted her head to the side and the darkness in Cora's eyes told Regina that her mother was no longer in control of herself, "He explained that you agreed to help him but fell short. You didn't think he'd honestly let that go, did you Darling?"

"Who are you-" Regina rounded the table in the opposite direction as her mother did, keeping distance between them, "What have you done with my mother?"

"It's still me, foolish girl," Cora smiled in a predatory manner like a cat cornering it's prey, "Well, a version of me, so to speak."

"I know you're behind this Rumple," She glared at her, lighting protective magic in her palm and running it over her abdomen, "If you come near me-"

"Calm now," Cora raised a brow, "You see it's not just Rumple, my dear Regina. It's time you should know about your sister...Yes, that's right," She smiled in an eerily calm manner, "Before you were born I had a child that I..." She sneered and snapped the glass vial she'd picked up from the table, "-carelessly abandoned. And that daughter has grown, watching you over the years, seeing the way you have failed to live up to my standards, failing to appreciate anything I've done for you-"

Regina tensed her shoulders to keep her body from trembling, keeping herself across the table from whoever it was that was inhabiting her mother's body, "What do you want-"

"Such a loaded question," Cora cackled uncharacteristically before her face grew serious once more, "As I was saying, I put so much faith into you after I discarded my firstborn. You were born from a respectable bloodline, you were groomed for greatness," She rolled her eyes, "I went to great lengths for you. Do you know how hard it is to poison a Queen for a year without being caught?"

Regina's eyes widened, "You..." She shook her head, realizing now that David's first wife's death wasn't natural at all, "You poisoned his wife, Emma's mother-"

"So that you could be here, and aren't you glad I did?" Cora asked pointedly, "You have everything you ever wanted after all. Yet you're going to be ungrateful," She grit her teeth and Regina watched in fear as a green rash crept up her mother's neck and her appearance slowly began to shift.

"Whoever you are, leave now!" Regina said firmly as she lit her palms with fireballs, adrenaline coursing through her body as the figure before her transformed into a green skinned redhead, recognizing the woman who had heckled her just months ago in the village, "It's you-"

"That's no way to greet your sister is it?" Her voice changed when the transformation completed and she tilted her head to the side, holding a beating heart in her hands, "You always were a brat from what I've seen, I was hoping that would've changed, but I guess I have to go through with this after all."

"What do you want from me?!" Regina gasped at the sharp pain that hit her lower back, reaching down to grip her belly, "I don't even know you!"

"You got everything!" Zelena screamed in rage, tightening her fist on the heart that Regina then realized was their mothers, "You got a family, a home, our mother's love, a kingdom! And yet you don't appreciate any of it!"

"I never-" Regina's response was cut off by the sharp pain that made her cry out, tight cramping hitting her stomach. She reached down to grip the edge of the desk to steady herself, "I never knew you existed and I-I never asked for any of this - my life w-was hell-"

"Oh please!" Zelena roared and slammed a fist on the desk, leaning across it to get closer to her, "I've been watching you for months, beloved Queen, doting husband," She sneered.

"M-mother made my life hell for years-" Regina tried to explain, breathing heavily at the contractions that came every so often, taking her strength away. Her heart began to pound in her ears when she felt warm liquid rush down her thighs and pool on the stone floor, looking down to see a mixture of fluid and blood.

"At least she kept you!" Zelena grit out, her eyes wide and crazed, "I got discarded like trash! That's okay though, yes, yes..." She mumbled as if she were insane, "You'll both get what you deserve," She held up her hand, marveling at the heart she clenched, "You'll understand the pain of not having family to turn to, of heartbreak - of struggle," She spoke through clenched teeth, "And I'll get to watch."

"What are you talking about-" Regina nearly doubled over as another contraction hit, feeling the wind pick up outside and blow the windows of her tower open. The sunshine seemed to disappear, as if a storm was coming outside, but much to quickly to be natural.

"You'll see soon enough," Zelena smirked as she looked up at her sibling from studying Cora's heart, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a curse to finish."

Regina watched as the woman disappeared in a cloud of green smoke before another wave of pain put her in the floor, her legs crumpling beneath her as her nerve endings caught fire with the contraction. She cried out breathlessly, holding her stomach with one hand and trying to keep herself sitting up with another braced on the floor.

" _Oh gods help us_ ," Granny exclaimed when she reached the tower and saw the Queen sitting in a puddle of water that was tinted with some blood, "Come on girl we have to get you downstairs," She shuffled over to the younger woman quickly, yelling back towards the staircase for the other household servants, "Help! We need help!"

* * *

"We better get a hurry on and undress these horses," David laughed as they returned from their outing, bringing the horses to a slow trot as they made their way towards the stables, "I promised Regina we'd be back in time for dinner."

"Yeah we better," Emma agreed and nudged her mare in the direction of the barn, "Regina with child and mood swings scares me," She grinned and swung her leg over the horse when it came to a stop outside beside of David's own.

"Regina scares me regardless," Red joked as her mare came up behind theirs, dismounting as they already had and leading her horse into it's space before starting to undo the saddle and dressings.

"Me too. I'm just glad we got home before this storm hit," David replied with a raised eyebrow at how dark the sky had gotten as he took his saddle off of his horse and hung it over the side of the stall. He turned to grab the brush from the side of the wall before his stomach sank slightly and he looked up to glance at Emma and Red.

"What?" Emma frowned with a laugh at his sudden change in behavior and the wind eerily beginning to pick up around them.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost," Red raised an eyebrow with a frown at the way her own senses began to tingle.

"Somethings wrong," David dropped the brush from his hand and quickly swung the gate of the stall open to step out. No sooner than he did a guard rushed to the stable door, nearly falling over himself as he tried to come to a stop.

"It's the Queen, she's in labor!"

David could tell by the panic in the guards voice that there was more to it, instantly taking off in a sprint out of the stables and across the courtyard. He began ripping off his uniform, dropping armor as he ran, taking the front castle steps three at a time. The doors to the castle were already blown open by the wind and he refused to slow down despite his heart pounding and his lungs burning from clearing the distance from the stables so quickly.

"Regina!" He called out, taking the grand staircase in five or six giant leaps, nearly knocking over the guard who stood at the top. Panic gripped him when he heard her screams echo all of the way down their wing. _Something was really wrong._

"David," Granny looked up quickly from her position between Regina's legs, her tone expression her relief. He wanted to throw up at the abnormal amount of blood on the sheets already before Granny pulled his focus, "Calm her down - we need to calm her down."

David's heart pounded against his rib cage and he ran to her side, taking Regina's hands quickly, "I'm here, Regina I'm here-" He looked at her panicked face and tried to remain calm and reassuring but he felt like passing out himself.

"My mother-" Regina gasped for breath looking up at David urgently, "They have my mother - they took her, they're going to kill her-"

"Regina, Regina-" He cupped her face with his hand to get her to concentrate on him, "What are you talking about? Sweetheart, breathe, please-"

Another contraction hit her then and she screamed out, back arching from the bed and his blood ran cold at the pain she was in, "Regina please, speak to me, tell me what's wrong," He asked again when it subsided, running a hand over her hair with his free hand as she gripped his other.

"I h-have a sister, she came here," Regina looked up at him breathlessly, seeming to have a moment of clarity from the pain and panic, "She and Rumple took my mothers heart theres-" She winced and cried out at a smaller contraction, "There's a curse coming, they took her heart and-"

David swallowed hard in fear and held her hand as she screamed again, "A curse?" He looked towards the window at the near darkness outside, his stomach sinking with the knowledge that it was much too early for it to be night already.

"They're going to kill my mother to enact the curse-" She cried, her head falling back in physical and emotional pain.

"David, help her," Granny said firmly, bringing him out of his own thoughts and he nodded quickly, not questioning the worried look on the gray haired woman's face. _He had to be strong for his wife._

"Whatever it is Regina we'll take it on but first we have to make sure you and the baby are okay," David said in the calmest tone he could muster, sinking to his knees on the floor beside of her so that he was level with her, "You can do this, sweetheart. Block everything else out and just focus on the baby, okay?" He ran a hand over her hair and she nodded silently, her eyes clamped shut in pain.

"You can do this, girl," Granny reassured her, "I know you're tired and you've been at this for a while now but we're getting close."

"Did you hear that?" David bit down on his bottom lip, wishing he could take the pain and turmoil away from her. There were solid tears rolling down her face and he didn't know if it was from the physical pain or the upset of whatever happened in his absence, "We're getting close to meeting our baby, Regina."

"I'm scared, David-" She looked up at him breathlessly when the pain subsided for a moment and she could speak again, "I don't know what's coming, I don't know how to protect us-"

"Whatever happens we're going to get through this, okay?" He nodded firmly, locking his gaze with hers. _How could he promise that when he had no clue what they were up against?_

"Time to push," Granny ordered firmly yet gently, prompting them both into action.

"You can do this," David nodded at Regina and she swallowed hard in return before bearing down and crying out with the next contraction. Minutes passed like hours as they continued, his hand turning white with how hard she was gripping it each time she would push through a contraction. His heart felt like it was being ripped in two at the torture she seemed to be in yet there was nothing he could do but be there for her.

"I see a head," Granny exclaimed, emotion in her voice, "Keep going, my girl," She nodded up at Regina who let out a sob and nodded in relief at the promise of it being over soon.

"I'm so proud of you," David murmured and pushed the hair back form her face, sticky with her sweat, still holding her other hand though his fingers were numb from her grip, "I love you."

She screamed and pushed, her whole body rigid with pain an determination. With each increasingly strangled cry the dark storm outside seemed to rage harder, thunder rumbling and lightning striking as ominous black clouds approached the castle with rapid speed. David tried to ignore it and focused on his wife before a sudden, smaller cry filled the air and took his breath away.

"You did it," He said, voice choking on emotion when Granny's hands held up their small, screaming child just moments later. Regina's head fell back in exhaustion but her eyes stayed fixed on her baby and she let out a laugh of relief, tears streaming down the side of her face.

"You have a little girl," Granny swaddled a blanket around the crying infant, tears coming down her own face as she rounded the bed and handed the crying child to it's mother.

"She's so beautiful," David's head fell against the side of Regina's in relief, swallowing the knot in this throat as he lifted his head again to look at what they'd made, "You did so good, Regina. Look what you did."

Regina smiled through tears, letting out a soft sob as she held their infant in her arms, still catching her breath, "Hello there," She said tearfully running her thumb over the baby's forehead as her other fingers cupped the back of her head.

"I'm so proud of you," His chest ached with an overwhelming love as he took in the child, reaching his own hand out to grip a balled up fist, "She's perfect, Regina."

"David," Red burst through the door and brought them back to reality, Emma not far behind her, "Somethings going on, the black clouds are destroying everything in it's path-"

"Regina," Emma let out a breath of relief as she came over to see her step-mother was okay, taking her free hand and looking down tearfully at her new sibling, "Oh my god," She shook her head, overcome with emotion as she reached down to touch the small baby.

"It's a curse," Regina said tiredly, clutching the child tighter to her when the wind started blowing furiously through the windows, knocking over decorations and ripping paintings from the wall.

"Whatever happens, we all look for each other," David said firmly over the wailing wind, wrapping his arms around Regina and the child, reaching out for Emma to come to his side. "We never stop looking! Got it?!"

Everyone in the room exchanged desperate looks and nods, each knowing they may be looking at one another for the last time. Red grabbed Granny to her, holding them steady on the bed post as David held onto his small family. The sound of the wind overtook the baby's cried as the black clouds began to filter through the windows. They clung to one another as the room filled with magic before everything became darkness.


	29. Chapter 29

_hello...don't hate me :)_

* * *

... _Storybrooke_

David sat in his usual booth in the corner of Granny's diner, sipping on her strong coffee as he tried to prepare himself for the day ahead. He rubbed his eyes tiredly after another poor nights sleep on the stylish but uncomfortable couch in the Mayor's mansion. If they were going to keep arguing like they were he was going to have to make his nest in one of the empty guest bedrooms. _It's not like anyone wanted to visit, anyways._

His wife may be the Mayor of the town but she was not a beloved one. In fact, her spiteful nature and sharp tongue had alienated most everyone around them. Being town sheriff meant people had to trust and confide in him if he was going to do his job in keeping the town safe, but his wife's personality did not aid in that. In fact, it didn't aid in much. He couldn't remember a time when they'd been truly happy. _Hell, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd had sex._

His attention was drawn from swirling the remainder of coffee in his cup to the diner door by the bells that signaled it's use. His lips curled into a faint smile when he saw a brunette not looking much older than 25, dressed in equestrian pants and boots and a button up shirt. She had striking features - dark eyes, perfectly shaped nose and brows, full lips that were painted red and what looked like long hair that was in a french braid down her back. His eyes traveled then to a much smaller, sleepy brunette on the woman's hip. The little girl slumped over her mothers shoulder, dressed in her school clothes with a tiny backpack on and neat but curly pony tale, the same shade as her mother's dark locks. David grinned as he related to the grumpy pout the small girl gave when her mother put her down to take a few menus from Granny at the counter.

"Just let me know when you're ready and I'll put the order right in," Granny smiled and nodded at the woman with uncharacteristic friendliness before leaning over the counter to look at the child, "And I'll bring your hot chocolate right over."

The tiny brunette gave a smile that matched her mother's and a sleepy nod before taking her mother's hand and pulling her over towards the boothes lining the wall.

"Thank you Ms. Lucas," The beautiful brunette nodded to the woman with a smile before letting her daughter lead her to the table of her choosing.

To his surprise the girls eyes flitted towards him, spotting him in the corner booth before slipping into the table directly in front of his. He blinked a little when they made eye contact, struck by the sense of familiarity he felt at the brief glance. He looked up to see her mother give a friendly smile in his direction before returning her attention to her daughter as she helped her in the booth. _The woman was just as breathtaking up close._

He looked back to his coffee when he realized he was watching the charming mother daughter duo, afraid he'd already stared too long and seemed strange. He tried to occupy his mind but couldn't help to overhear their conversation. The girl complained about having to go to school and her mother reassured her that she'd love it, mentioning that Dorothy was going to be her teacher, but at school she had to call her Miss Gale. The little girl mimicked the Miss Gale part as her mother said it, letting David know it wasn't the first time her mother had had this conversation with her.

David found himself smiling as he finished his coffee and eavesdropped on the conversation. When the chatter dwindled briefly between them he got the feeling he was being watched and looked up to see the little girl had turned around in the booth to peep over at him. The child had big, inquisitive blue eyes that were clearly analyzing him and he found himself grinning back at her bold stare.

"My name is Violet, what's yours?" She asked with a confidence he was sure she'd inherited from the woman behind her, who happened to look up instantly when she realized her daughter was bothering a stranger.

"David, nice to meet you," He smiled and gave a nod before he glanced up at her mother who looked rather apologetic.

"I'm sorry, she's not usually this social in the morning," She smiled with a soft laugh before gently scolding Violet to not bother him. The girl huffed and twirled around to plop down on her bottom with a show of theatrics that made her mother raise a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"It's fine, I'm not usually a morning person either," He gave another smile to the little girl who slowly craned her neck around to look at him once more with a curious gaze. "Are you two new to town?"

"Actually no," The mother smiled weakly, her eyes giving her away despite her otherwise pleasant demeanor and he instantly wondered what her story was, "We just recently moved from the outskirts into the loft apartment near the clock tower on 8th street."

"Oh, I know the place," David nodded, internally frowning as he'd been on a domestic call to that apartment's prior inhabitants and knew how dilapidated the building was, "It's in a good location," He added with a smile, focusing on a positive instead.

"We're making it home," She nodded before smiling confidently at her mini-me, "Before I guess we didn't get out that much, but that's going to change now."

"I hope so, the fall festival will be soon you won't want to miss that," David smiled before raising an eyebrow at the child who was still watching him, "There's pumpkin carving."

"Mommy can we go?!" Pleading blue eyes shifted from him to the woman across from him instantly after his statement.

"As long as I'm not working late," The woman nodded with a smile to her daughter and David instantly wished he hadn't hyped the girl up for something they may not be able to attend.

"Anyways, welcome to town," David smiled as he picked up his bill and stood from the booth, "I'm David Nolan, by the way."

"You have a gun," The girl stood on her knees in the booth instantly when she spotted his badge, "Are you the police?"

"I'm sheriff," He nodded with a smile, "So if you two ever need anything please let me know."

"Regina Mills," The woman nodded with a smile. "Thank you, we really appreciate it."

"See you around," David smiled and reluctantly pulled himself away, feeling strange for how drawn to them he felt. He turned and walked over to the register where Granny was, glancing over to see Regina and her daughter chattering away again, "How come I've never seen her before?" He frowned curiously at Granny who obviously seemed to know about the woman.

"She's Daniel Colter's widow," Granny nodded quietly, taking his bill from him to ring up, "Well, they never quite made it to the alter before his accident. He owned the stable just outside of town, had the heart attack."

"I think I remember hearing about that," David frowned slightly and shook his head, having faint memories of hearing of the shock of someone so young and seemingly healthy passing of heart problems. Stories like that spread quickly in a small town. "I guess I just don't remember seeing her around before."

"Shes not from around here and rarely came to town, especially after he passed. It's just been her and her little girl. She found out she was with child shortly after the funeral," Granny looked over at them with a furrowed brow, "Ruby is real close friends with her," She added with a glance at David, explaining how she knew so much.

"I heard her mention Ruby," He nodded and handed over some cash for his bill, "I was just curious. It's not everyday you see someone new in town," He smiled and shrugged it off, not wanting to seem overly interested, "See you, Granny."

* * *

Regina sighed as she pulled her car down the gravel road that led to the stables, feeling the weight of her shoulders getting a little lighter at the knowledge she'd soon be on horseback. The pressure to make Daniel's vision for their business weighed heavily on her but she liked to think she was managing it well for doing it by herself. Aside from the financial burden and tricky business regulations, she loved working with horses and what went into it. She smiled when she saw Emma rounding the corner as she made her way out of the barn, happy to see she'd have some company for her morning chores around the place.

Emma was in the local foster program and had been suspended from the first half of her senior year of high school for stealing. As part of her punishment, the foster program required her to apply to job shadow someone in the town in an attempt for her to learn some responsibility during her time out of school. The girl had been turned down by nearly every business in the area before she'd applied to work here and Regina couldn't say she was impressed by her attitude during the interview, but she saw something in the girl's spirit she liked and decided to give her a shot. Besides, it wasn't as if there were people lining up to work here for free.

They became fast friends over the months Emma had worked there and she'd slowly gained the girls trust, mothering her any moment she would allow it. Regina knew deep down that the girl just needed someone who cared for her enough to get past her wall, but her past had made her hard to reach. Little by little, she knew she was chipping away at the teenager's tough exterior.

"You're here early," Regina smiled as she got out of her car and made her way over to the buidling, helping Emma hang up the saddle she was getting ready to oil as she struggled to get it on the stand, "Bad mood?" She raised an eyebrow at the girl when she jerked the rag from the tack on the wall. "Oh I see, we're doing the no talking thing today."

Emma groaned slightly and rolled her eyes, seeming to know Regina wouldn't quit until she spoke up, "I just got into a fight with my foster parents, that's all," She shrugged and focused her gaze on cleaning the saddle, putting some leather oil from the tin can onto the rag.

"Want to talk about it?" Regina glanced at her before making her way over to hang her jacket up on the coat hook just inside of the stables, her mood improving instantly at the smell of hay and horses.

"No," Emma muttered, "How did Violet do on her first day of school?" She asked and Regina smiled at Emma's thoughtfulness to ask. She could tell the blonde had developed a soft spot for her daughter and vice versa. The two of them were nearly insperable when Violet was at the stables with them. While most people would consider Emma a bad influence for a little girl, Regina quite liked the indpendent and strong willed nature Violet seemed to soak up from the teenager.

"She fussed all morning," Regina laughed to herself and shook her head, "So I took her to the diner for pancakes. It helps though that her teacher is Ruby's girlfriend, Dorothy. You've met her before, right?"

"Yeah they've stopped by before," Emma nodded, not looking up from her task, "So Violet didn't cry or anything?"

"No, she warmed up quickly, by the time I left she'd forgotten about me," Regina sighed and tried not to dwell on it too much, knowing she'd end up crying if she did. It wasn't easy to admit that her baby was old enough to go to school, let alone that she was actually okay with Regina leaving her there. They'd been together since the moment the doctor put Violet in her arms and it was hard for her to let her grow up sometimes.

"I doubt that, you're a good mom, I'm sure she misses you," Emma replied, complimenting her in her own nonchalant way, "You got any lessons scheduled for today?"

"Not until this afternoon," Regina raised an eyebrow with a mischevious smile over at the girl, "Want to go for a ride?" She smiled, knowing Emma had taken to riding quite naturally and was dying to put her relatively new skills to use any moment she could.

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

"This place actually has some charm," Ruby raised an eyebrow, sitting on the stool at the counter in Regina's loft apartment watching her clean up after dinner as they shared a bottle of wine. "I gotta admit I was a little skeptical at first."

"Yes well it was either sell the farmhouse and put the money towards saving the stables or own a house and have no way to make a living so-" Regina shrugged with a frown, looking up from drying the cutting board in her hands.

"You know you and Violet always have a place with me and Dorothy..." Ruby raised an eyebrow, instantly seeing Regina roll her eyes.

"We're fine, okay? We've got a new place and she's in school and we're happy," Regina said almost convincingly.

"Regina you've lived like a recluse for almost five years," She frowned, trying to explain herself before her friend shut down completely like she often did when she didn't want to discuss something, "If it wasn't for your kid keeping you going-"

"I'm fine," Regina grit out looking up at Ruby warningly.

"Outside of me and Violet who do you see?" Ruby raised an eyebrow, "That teenager at the stables and that's it."

"Her name is Emma and you've met her enough to know that," Regina rolled her eyes and continued putting dishes away.

"Whatever, you know what I mean," Ruby grabbed the wine bottle and topped off both of their glasses, "You haven't been with anybody since Daniel-"

"Ruby," Regina dropped a dish in the sink especially hard and looked back at her, "I told you I have no interest in that anymore."

"Everybody is interested in _that_ ," Her friend deadpanned and scoffed, "I'm just saying you should get out there more. You're an amazing mom and I know your world revolves around your kid but you deserve some happiness, too."

"Violet and running the stables does make me happy," Regina softened, remembering her patience as she reminded herself Ruby was just looking after her. She didn't have anyone else who was worried about her happiness like Ruby did. "Stop worrying about me. I'm fine."

"You lost your fiancé and have to raise a kid on your own with no family," Ruby shook her head, "Not to mention that pain in the ass Mayor who has it out for you and decided to suddenly enforce ridiculous business regulations that nearly sank you-"

"But it didn't," Regina closed her eyes briefly and groaned at the reminder of the dreadful woman.

"Only because you sold your house and put the money towards the stables! I still say we egg her car," Ruby crossed her arms with her juvenile comment, making Regina laugh. "The bitch shouldn't get away with bullying people like that."

"It's in the past, she was just doing her job anyways," Regina frowned and shook her head, trying to ignore her gut feeling that told her the Mayor took pleasure in coming after her.

"Aunt Ruby!" Violet clamored down the loft steps then and Regina silently thanked her daughter for her taking the heat off of her. She smiled at the way Violet gripped the railing with one hand and toted the fairytale book she'd found when they moved in under her free arm as she navigated the steps that she was still a little too small for. "Will you read me to my nighttime story?" She asked when she jumped down the last step and looked up at her.

"Of course I will kid," Ruby smiled and stood up from the counter, scooping Violet up from the floor and onto her hip, "Tell Mom goodnight," She carried her around the counter to Regina.

"Goodnight sweetie," Regina smiled and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead before watching her chatter to Ruby as she carried her up to her bedroom in the loft area.

She'd made Violets bedroom area in the loft in order to give her as much of an actual room as she could, sacrificing her own privacy by putting her bed on the first floor. It didn't matter that much seeing as she and Violet were the only ones that slept there; she didn't have a partner or a reason to need privacy. The apartment was cozy but it was big enough for she and her daughter and she was determined to make it work.

She had realized recently that she had been living like a recluse since Daniel had passed. It almost seemed like it had always just been she and Violet, it was strange how she couldn't clearly remember their life before. It was as if they'd been living in a daze and she was just beginning to realize time was passing her by, yet her past seemed like so many years ago, like her memories weren't her own. She tried not to dwell on it too much, had written it off as grief taking it's toll on her, and vowed to start doing things differently for her daughter's sake. Violet deserved the most normal life she could give her.

* * *

David made his way into the cold, dark mansion on Mifflin Street, feeling anything but at home as he took off his coat and hung it up near the front door. His badge came off next, unpinning it from his belt before unhooking his gun holster and laying it on the side table. He kicked off his boots with a sigh and walked towards the kitchen, silently hoping for his sanity's sake that his wife was working late tonight. He didn't have the energy for an argument and his head already ached a little.

He opened the fridge to gaze in, not really analyzing its content before shutting the door again in disinterest. His appetite just wasn't there, but he knew if he didn't eat he'd most likely wake up in the middle of the night starving. He sighed and reached up to open one of the cabinets to see if there was anything quick to fix but that was a bust, too.

The sight of the hot chocolate box made him smile a little as it reminded him of the mother and daughter he'd met at the diner today. For some reason they had lingered in the back of his mind, though he couldn't pinpoint why. It was almost as if they were familiar to him which struck him as odd considering he'd never seen them before. Then again it was probably just a side effect of the loneliness in his life. He always thought he'd have a big family by this point or at least a few kids of his own. However, that had never fit into Zelena's career plans. It was probably for the best, for she'd turned into someone he barely recognized and was the farthest thing from maternal he could think of. He could barely remember the time he actually liked her, mainly relying on photographs and fuzzy memories to recall them ever being happy.

He shook his head at his own trailing thoughts and grabbed a beer from the fridge, giving up on his quest for food to make his way into the living room. Falling onto the couch he leaned his head against the back cushion and his mind was brought back to the brunette's smile. It had been a while since he'd really even noticed a woman, let alone been that attracted to one.

"I don't care what you have to do Sidney just make it happen!" Zelena's shrill voice seemed to echo in the foyer, followed by the slam of the front door. He inwardly groaned, turning his head a little to see her storming in. The energy in the house grew colder and darker almost instantly and he felt anxiety growing in his chest in response. "The house never should've sold in the first place, you were supposed to intervene-"

He rolled his eyes and wondered what she was meddling in now, taking a sip of his beer as she ended the call and slammed her phone down. She looked up and eyed him, appearing to just notice he was there as she tossed her Mercedes keys on the side table.

"Rough day at the office?" He raised an eyebrow, not really caring to know about her day but asking out of habit. Anything to break the awkward silence.

"You could say that," Her lip twitched and he could tell she was particularly angry about something. "Everyone in this town is incompetent."

"So I've heard," David muttered and reached out for the television remote, "Why are you bothering yourself with real estate now?" He asked, having heard her mention a house on the phone.

"There was a house on the outskirts of town that I had my eye on," Zelena grit out as she threw her briefcase onto a nearby chair, "I was set to make a bid on it on behalf of the town but it sold under a private listing."

"What would the town want with a house?" David raised an eyebrow, seeing her pinched face and knowing she must've had a rather ornate scheme planned.

"I had plans for the property," She snapped as if he'd accused her of something, looming in the doorway, "A park, with a new playground. The one near the beach is much too unsafe."

"You're trying to tell me you're concern is with the kids if Storybrooke?" He scoffed and looked at the television when it turned on.

"My concern is getting sued by their parents when one of those snotty kids falls and breaks an arm on that shoddy, rotten playhouse," She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Find another piece of property?" David frowned and looked at her as if to ask why it was such a big deal, which only served to piss her off more.

"Because I wanted that one-" Zelena snapped, "The owner was desperate to sell, I could've gotten it dirt cheap," She groveled and David could tell there was more to it than she was letting on.

"How do you know?" He frowned, becoming suspicious. His wife would never outright incriminate herself to him but he knew she was capable of underhanded and questionably legal things to get what she wanted. "Whose property was it?"

"The Colter farm," Zelena eyed him and he could tell by the way she stiffened that she wasn't going to give away anything more. She'd caught onto the fact that he knew she was up to something. It was clear that she thought him to be stupid but she was always careful enough to never give any true details. "I have work to do-" She added, turning to storm towards her office.

David was too caught off guard by his recognition of the name to ask her anymore questions before she had disappeared. He frowned to himself and thought of the mysterious Regina Mills and how Granny had said she was Daniel Colter's almost-widow. Zelena's statement repeated in his mind and he wondered why it was that Regina had been desperate to sell her home and move into a tiny loft apartment with her daughter. More-so, how did his wife know about it?


	30. Chapter 30

After the last update I've received a couple of comments (and a very rude private message that was entirely unnecessary) that made me think I may not have written the last chapter clearly enough. Please remember that this is fanfiction, I write this for fun and for free. While I love hearing your reactions, I ask that you at least keep it respectful.

Because I've put a lot of time into this story and don't want the last chapter to be misinterpreted, I'd like to set the record straight:

David and Zelena's marriage is not real or consummated. They have not and will not sleep together. I tried to hint at that with David's narrative in that he doesn't remember them ever being happy and his memories of their marriage are fuzzy. Also jokingly mentioning he doesn't remember the last time he's had sex, and the fact that they clearly aren't in a happy "marriage" right now. This curse has just started, they don't actually have a past and they certainly aren't doing the nasty.

I do not care for Zelena and I'm certainly not going to repeat the rape scenario from the show as that was completely unnecessary, cruel and a desperate storyline IMO. David's placement in this "marriage" is a part of Zelena's curse and she has no interest in him that way, this was only another way for her to get her revenge. David being tied to her and the positioning of the three of them/their occupations will also play out.

Also, you will see the Enchanted Forest again.

Again I only made this response to set the record straight as I understand the upset at thinking David and Zelena had done anything. I wanted to make sure you understood and your enjoyment of it was not ruined by something that hasn't happened. Thank you for the great and passionate comments (except for the nasty private message). Keep them coming! xoxo


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